SAN ANTONIO – An African American studies course is gradually being incorporated into school districts across the state.
Districts that are already on board include the San Antonio Independent School District, Judson Independent School District and most recently, the North East Independent School District.
A team of historians, professors, and policy makers hope that it will put a brighter spotlight when it comes to black history.
Lawrence Scott, assistant professor of educational leadership at Texas A&M San Antonio, was a part of that initiative.
He said the goal is not just to teach students about civil rights icons, but help them understand the deeper meaning behind their work.
Other topics include economic disparities, wage and opportunity gaps.
“We have to start having some real cogent and critical conversations about race and equity with real data,” Scott said.
Scott hopes by having critical conversations it will take the country forward.
“This is a conversation that we need to have nationally. This is the course. This will be the course. This will be the conduit course that will facilitate those conversations,” he said.