Other items in today’s report include:
*Butterfly Project’s Triple Mitzvah results
*Political bytes
*Recommended reading
SAN DIEGO — StandWithUs, in conjunction with other Jewish groups, reports that the revised recommendations for an Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum (ESMC) improve upon the original version that was rejected by the State Board of Education but still has its flaws. Enumerating, the pro-Israel group listed the perceived improvements and problems with the current version which, like its predecessor, will go before the State Board of Education for approval.
POSITIVE CHANGES AND FLAWS
Examples of Positive Changes to the ESMC
Explicitly anti-Israel and antisemitic content has been removed.
A few new references to the American Jewish experience and antisemitism have been included.
Guidance has been added that encourages teachers to expose students to “multiple and often competing sources of information” and foster respect for diverse viewpoints.
Strong language has been added that urges school districts to be transparent and actively seek public input when they implement ethnic studies locally.
Examples of Flaws of the ESMC
Chapter 1 includes a section titled “Guiding Values and Principles of Ethnic Studies.” These Guiding Values and Principles directly reference and are partly based on a book called “Education at War.” The relevant section of the book effectively encourages teachers to “develop solidarity and create linkages” with anti-Zionism, BDS, and anti-Israel narratives, which would be deeply harmful to many Jewish students in the classroom.
In Chapter 3, Middle Eastern communities, such as Mizrahi Jews, Iranians, Kurds, Assyrian-Christians, Coptic-Christians, Yezidis, Baha’is, and Zorastrians, are lumped together as “other Middle Easterners” instead of represented on an equal basis with Arab Americans. Our partners at JIMENA have put together a coalition letter of communities representing an estimated 500,000 Californians, which explains this problem in depth.
In Chapter 3, references to American Jews ignore the experiences of Mizrahi Jews, Jews of color, Jews from the former Soviet Union, and other Jewish communities in California, whose stories are less widely acknowledged.
The only unit included in Appendix A that places significant focus on Jews compares them to Irish Americans. This flattens the Jewish experience, disregards the diversity of the American Jewish community, and ignores ongoing white supremacist hostility and violence against Jews of all backgrounds.
There are numerous sections of the ESMC where it is essential to expand upon or reinforce the importance of exposing students to “multiple and often competing sources of information” and ensuring that “diverse viewpoints are respected.” For example, in Appendix B, “Sample Lesson 2: Social Movements and Student Civic Engagement” should specifically address the possibility that a movement chosen by a teacher or student has faced criticism that students should consider, including from individuals, organizations, intellectuals, and leaders who are members of various ethnic minority groups.
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Butterfly Project’s ‘Triple Mitzvah’ Results
Supporters of the San Diego-based Butterfly Project, in which each of the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust are to be memorialized, participated in a “Triple Mitzvah” project last month, in which they purchased a kit of six ceramic butterflies for $54 (the first mitzvah), brought with them to the Jewish community building at 4950 Murphy Canyon Road non-perishable food items for later distribution to needy families (the second mitzvah), and later returned with their painted designs on the ceramic butterflies, which will be affixed to planter boxes at the offices of “front line’ organizations. (The third mitzvah). So, how did the campaign work out? Cheryl Rattner Price, the cofounder and executive director of The Butterfly Project reported that more than 175 families painted 1,000 butterflies and donated more than 1,000 pounds of food!
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Political bytes
*Marni von Wilpert has been endorsed in San Diego’s 5th City Council race by the progressive organization Run for Something. Ross Morales Rocketto, founder of the group, said “RFS endorses candidates on two major criteria: heart and hustle. That’s what defines viability to us. These are candidates who are going to work hard to run grassroots, community-led campaigns. We are at a critical time in history and the momentum these candidates generate will have a lasting impact for years to come.”
*San Diego City Councilwoman Barbara Bry , a candidate for mayor, is enthusiastic about the SDSU West project’s economic impact on San Diego. She messaged:
SDSU West, which I strongly championed and San Diego voters green-lighted by supporting Measure G in 2018, will add thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars to our local economy at a time when both are desperately needed. SDSU has selected Clark Construction to build the stadium, River Park, and the site infrastructure.
On July 29, I had the opportunity to meet with Clark senior executives– Senior Vice President Jim McLamb, Vice President/Project Development Kwaku Gyabaah and Vice President Albert Valdivia. Clark was previously responsible for the design and construction of Petco Park, the Golden State Warriors Stadium, the Naval Hospital at Camp Pendleton, and university projects nationwide.
The SDSU Mission Valley project — which will include demolishing and replacing SDCCU stadium as well as constructing a river park — will pump an estimated $437 million into San Diego’s COVID-ravaged economy.
To build the new stadium alone, Jim told me 23 of its 35 contracts (worth $165 million, or 83 percent of the total) have already been issued to companies with offices in San Diego. Construction is expected to begin in mid-to-late August.
The number of local jobs created is impressive! Site development is expected to employ around 2,000, with a peak daily workforce of 200-225. That’s in addition to the separate stadium construction crew of about 2,500 total workers, with a peak daily workforce of about 350. Additionally, I was assured workers are being hired with an effort toward maximizing diversity and will be paid prevailing wage.
Not only will SDSU Mission Valley bring money and jobs, it will also bring football back to Mission Valley. In fact, the goal is a kickoff in 2022! So in just about two years, San Diegans can expect to cheer on football, soccer, NCAA championship games, concerts and other events in the expandable, 35,000-seat stadium.
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Recommended reading
*Shoshana Bryen points out in an article for Newsweek that the huge explosions that rocked Beirut this week further destabilizes a government that has been under the boot of Hezbollah, the Iran-funded terrorist group fighting a proxy war against Israel.
*Stephen Bryen reports in Asia Times that at least one obstacle to the U.S. deploying the Israeli-perfected Iron Dome anti-missile system has been eliminated .
*Rabbi Dr. Bernhard Rosenberg has authored and edited a new book, Holocaust Survivors & Their Families: Remember, Reflect, and Reminisce, which he describes as “a compilation of real stories from their families and friends who faced the tragic reality during WWII and the Nazi regime.”
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Donald H. Harrison is editor of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com