TUSTIN : Week Whets Appetite for Black Study

Twelve-year-old Peter Sorensen can’t quite remember who Frederick Douglass was, but he’s sure Douglass is a black American he should be learning about.

During Black History Week at A.G. Currie Middle School this year, Peter and his friends decided that one week just was not enough time to study black history. He thinks the subject matter should go beyond civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. to include people such as Douglass, an anti-slavery leader, orator and journalist.

“We said, ‘Why do we just have one week? Why can’t we have two or three?’ ” said Peter, a sixth-grader.

So the students circulated a petition, gathering about 150 student signatures requesting that there be further study of black history. In addition, the students want an “expert black American” teaching the classes to add to the experience.

Peter delivered the petition last week to district officials and to his principal. Tustin Unified School District Supt. David L. Andrews said district officials will consider the request and will talk to students and teachers to determine what ideas can be incorporated into the curriculum for next year.

Currie Middle School Principal William Wingo said several schools in the district, including Currie, are adopting a new, more multicultural social science textbook and that plans were already in the works to place more emphasis on all ethnic minorities. Currie’s population is 28% Latino, 12% Asian and 9% black, Wingo said.

“The petition is real consistent with what we’re already doing,” Wingo said. “It reinforces that direction and we’ll probably work more quickly because of the student interest.”

In response to his petition, Wingo allowed Peter to make a brief speech about George Washington Carver over the school’s public address system last week.

“He made about 300 products from peanuts,” Peter said when asked about his presentation. “At least that’s what the encyclopedia said.”

Peter said he is pleased with the response to his petition and has no immediate plans to talk to the school board.

Wingo said it is refreshing to see students interested in curriculum changes.

“Peter’s a nice kid, and he isn’t leading a group of militant students,” Wingo said. “He has some sincere interests. . . . I’m just pleased that he’s willing to make an effort, especially since he’s Caucasian. I’m pleased we have Caucasians who are interested in learning more about our minority population.”

Peter’s father, Terry Sorensen, said he is proud of his son but is not sure what results the petition will have.

“I think what he’s going to find out is that it’s not just magic. You don’t just pass around a petition and turn it in and have a class created,” Terry Sorensen said. “But I think it’s neat that he did it. Sometimes with kids, you think all they want to do is play video games and listen to rap music. But there is something going on up there. They are concerned about these things.”