Readers React: Schools should teach women’s history

To the editor: While they’re at it, how about requiring women’s history? (“L.A. Unified to require ethnic studies for high school graduation,” Dec. 8)

Students are required for 12 years to study men’s history. What do you think that does for boys? When I taught a women’s history course in Napa, an evaluation revealed that the boys in the class said they hadn’t known that women had done anything before. Girls said they felt proud.

Take it from there. If instilling pride in one’s self can be done for minorities, how about for 50% of the student body?

June Stephenson Bailey, Rancho Mirage

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To the editor: As a retired professor of multicultural education, I was delighted to see that the L.A. Unified School District will require students to take ethnic studies. Given the recent increases in racist hate groups, such educational activities must be part of the curriculum.

Bruce M. Mitchell, Ventura

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