UC Merced Undergraduate Research Journal

In 1947, five Mexican-American families challenged the ‘separate but equal’ education that their children were getting in non-caucasian schools in the Supreme Court case Mendez vs. Westminster¹ . In Orange County, California, these five families refused to accept this education system that discriminated against their children by considering them “special needs” because they spoke Spanish. Although the Westminster Elementary School allowed the Mendez children to attend their school, they did not allow any other child with Mexican-American descent. The Mendez family denied their offer and continued to sue where Governor Earl Warren would sign a law to end all segregation statutes in the state of California. Although schools were physically desegregated, the academic curriculum is still widely one-sided especially through the readings and history that is taught² . Today, people of color are still forced to endure these segregated teachings that are focused on white culture, while never going in depth about their own culture. Instituting an ethnic and gender studies course would end the mainly white prominent course material and would improve high school graduation rates among People of Color (POC), promote embracing oneself, inform others about different cultures, and provide a positive impact on racial attitudes.