#Multiculturalism

A recent feature in Slate highlights a modern challenge for families in multicultural societies: supporting a teenager’s curiosity about organized religion, especially when it crosses ethnic and denominational lines. The piece, published June 27, 2025, titled “Help! My Son Wants to Go to Church. Uh, I’m Not Sure I Can Support This,” examines the emotions many parents face when a child’s spiritual interest diverges from family tradition and leads them into sacred spaces with deep cultural histories.

A recent feature in Slate has spotlighted an emerging challenge for parents in multicultural societies: supporting a teenager’s desire to explore organized religion, especially in a context that crosses both ethnic and denominational boundaries. The article, published on June 27, 2025, under the headline “Help! My Son Wants to Go to Church. Uh, I’m Not Sure I Can Support This,” addresses the nuanced emotions that arise when a young person’s spiritual curiosity diverges from family tradition—and ventures into sacred spaces with deep-seated cultural histories (slate.com).

Parents in San Francisco have voiced growing concerns following the school district’s decision to require all ninth-grade students to take a two-semester ethnic studies class, replacing what was previously an elective with a mandatory, yearlong course. The move by the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), communicated to parents just days before the start of the 2024-25 academic year, has reignited debates on curriculum, ideology, and student choice, with lessons that may resonate in Thailand’s ongoing discussions over educational reforms and culturally responsive teaching CBS News San Francisco.

Parents in San Francisco are raising concerns after the school district made ninth grades take a two-semester ethnic studies course, replacing a prior elective with a yearlong requirement. The announcement came just days before the 2024-25 school year, reigniting discussions about curriculum choices, ideological balance, and student options. The case offers relevance for Thailand’s ongoing education reforms and the push for culturally responsive teaching.

A central issue is whether the ethnic studies curriculum emphasizes certain viewpoints over historical rigor, potentially displacing other subjects, such as world history. One parent said the course appears to teach a particular ideology rather than objective history, while still supporting the broader goals of ethnic studies. Another parent noted that ninth graders may have already completed similar coursework in middle school and question why they must retake it for another full year. The curriculum explores themes of racism, activism, and economic systems, including comparisons between capitalism and socialism, prompting questions about the line between social education and advocacy.