2021年经济学人 种族研究课程有利于成绩较差的非白人学生（在线收听）

United States

美国版块

Ethnic studies

种族研究

Race and class

种族和阶级

Ethnic-studies lessons benefit low-achieving non-white pupils

种族研究课程有利于成绩较差的非白人学生

SOME CONSERVATIVES have been on a mission to remove critical race theory from classrooms.

保守党一直蓄谋将批判性种族理论离开课堂。

Described by these advocates as any coursework discussing topics through the lens of racial identities (which is well beyond the original definition used by the critical theorists themselves), they argue that this approach to pedagogy is divisive.

这些倡导者将其描述为通过种族认同视角来讨论某个主题的课程（这与批评理论家的原始定义远远相悖），他们认为这种教育学方法是分裂的。

Eight states have passed laws banning these discussions in classrooms.

已经有八个州通过了法律，禁止在课堂上进行这些讨论。

Six have proposed similar legislation, or plan to.

六个州也已经提出了类似的立法，或计划这样做。

Some teachers claim they now fear discussing race with their pupils.

一些教师声称，他们现在害怕与学生讨论种族问题。

But there is a trade-off here: according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, removing discussions about race from the classroom could disadvantage some low-achieving pupils.

但这是有代价的：根据发表在“美国国家科学院院刊”上的一项研究，取消课堂上关于种族问题的讨论可能会使一些成绩较差的学生处于不利地位。

The study shows that San Francisco’s ethnic-studies curriculum, a programme for ninth-graders (who are about 14 years old) that is designed to focus on the history of disadvantaged communities and encourages a focus on social issues, had benefits beyond merely what was learned in the classroom.

该研究表明，旧金山的民族研究课程是为九年级学生（大约14岁）设计的，旨在关注弱势社区的历史，并鼓励对社会问题的关注，其好处不仅仅是在课堂上学到的东西。

Sade Bonilla of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and her colleagues show that the programme increased high-school attendance by 6-7 percentage points, course credits earned by up to 15 points (equivalent to about 3 courses) and high-school graduation by 16-19 percentage points.

马萨诸塞大学阿默斯特分校的萨德·博尼拉和她的同事们表示，该计划使高中出勤率提高了6-7个百分点，课程学分增加了15个百分点（相当于大约3门课程），高中毕业率提高了16-19个百分点。

The researchers were able to study the effect of the programme on low-achieving pupils by comparing children required to enroll (because of earning a grade-point average below 2.0 the previous year) with those slightly at or above the 2.0 grade point average who were not required to enroll.

研究人员通过比较被要求登记的儿童（因为前一年的平均成绩低于2.0）与那些略高于2.0平均成绩的孩子，研究了该计划对成绩不佳学生的影响。

The study follows an article published in 2017 (by two authors of this current study) showing that the same programme improved shorter-term outcomes too: ninth-grade attendance, grade-point average and credits earned all improved.

在这项研究之前，本研究的两位作者2017年发表的一篇文章显示，同样的计划也改善了短期结果：九年级学生出勤率、平均绩点和获得的学分都有所改善。

San Francisco’s school district began its ethnic-studies pilot programme in the 2010-11 school year, with faculty members from San Francisco State University.

旧金山学区在2010-11学年开始了其种族研究试点项目，教职工来自旧金山州立大学。

The majority of pupils in the study (1,405 in total) were non-white: 60% were Asian, 23% Hispanic, 6% black and 5% white.

研究中的大多数学生（总共1405名）是非白人：60%是亚洲人，23%是西班牙，6%是黑人，5%是白人。

Because of the small sample of black and white pupils, the researchers were unable to draw conclusions about those groups.

由于黑人和白人学生的样本很少，研究人员无法对这些群体得出结论。

The curriculum focused on a variety of topics: race as a social construct, the history of eugenics, federal housing discrimination, and others.

课程内容关注各种主题：种族是一种社会建构，优生学史，联邦住房歧视等等。

It also taught pupils about practices to counter racism and oppression: marching, voting, campaigning.

它还向学生传授反对种族主义和压迫的做法：游行、投票、竞选。

Pupils were encouraged to think of ways to counter racism in their own communities. The results are encouraging.

鼓励学生想办法在他们自己的社区里对抗种族主义。结果很令人满意。

Improving high school graduation is not a trivial matter.

提高高中毕业率不是一件小事。

Pupils who graduate from high school enjoy higher wages, greater wealth accumulation and better health outcomes.

高中毕业的学生享有更高的工资，更多的财富积累和更好的健康状况。

But these positive results probably will not sway everyone.

但这些积极的结果可能不会让所有人动心。

The programme improved outcomes for low-achieving Asian and Hispanic pupils, but the study was unable to measure an effect on other pupils: higher-achieving or white pupils, for example.

该计划改善了成绩较差的亚裔和西班牙裔学生的成绩，但这项研究无法衡量对其他学生的影响：例如，对成绩较好的学生或白人学生。

California has decided to require the course for graduation for all, starting in 2030.

加州已决定从2030年开始，要求所有人在毕业前都要学习这门课程。

But there are risks with scaling up pilot programmes, and not just because the curriculum has not yet proved to be effective for all. There are also concerns about quality.

但扩大试点项目也存在风险，这不仅仅是因为该课程是否对所有人有效还不得知，同时还有对课程质量的担忧。

San Francisco’s programme was taught by teachers who chose to offer the curriculum and had extensive training.

旧金山的课程由提出开设课程并接受过广泛培训的教师授课。

Educators begrudgingly teaching the programme with lesser training would probably not have the same effect.

如果教育工作者接受的培训不够，同时又不情愿地教授该课程，可能不会产生同样的效果。

Yet the programme in San Francisco was clearly successful at motivating low-achievers who were otherwise uninterested in their schooling, explains Ms Bonilla.

然而，博尼拉解释说，旧金山的项目显然成功地激励了那些原本对学业不感兴趣的低成就学生。

These at-risk pupils began engaging more deeply with their schoolwork and may have even attended college at higher rates.

这些有风险的学生开始更深入地投入学业，甚至进入大学的比例也提高了。

"The course seems to really engage them and make them lean into school," she explains.

她解释说：“这门课程似乎真的吸引了他们，让他们更加融入学校。”

"And not just in their ethnic-studies class, but in science, math[s] and everywhere."

“不仅体现在他们的种族研究课上，而且在科学、数学和任何地方都是如此。”

Unfortunately for low-achieving pupils in the eight states now banning critical race theory, such teaching may not be allowed in their schools.

对于禁止批判性种族理论的八个州中成绩较差的学生来说是很遗憾的，因为他们的学校可能不允许这样的教学。