AB705 Discriminates Against Students at California Community Colleges

AB705 Discriminates Against Students at California Community Colleges

Started
March 18, 2022
Petition to
Executive of Research and Data John Hetts and
Signatures: 2,349Next Goal: 2,500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Mecha De Srjc

The California Community College Chancellor’s office is using the bill AB705 to effectively ban all pre-transfer level math classes at all community colleges starting Fall 2022. The Math Department at SRJC vehemently opposes the effective ban of pre-transfer level math classes for the following reasons.

The California Community College Mission as provided in the California Education Code is about supporting students in their educational and career goals, not taking away the very choices they need to achieve these goals successfully.
This will jeopardize financial aid for many students, putting large amounts of pressure on students to pass high unit transfer-level math courses. If a college decides to offer non-credit pre-transfer level math courses, financial aid does not cover the cost of those courses. 
This legislation effectively raises the Community College graduation potentially putting students who are pursuing a career technical field, such as Fire Science or Culinary, among many others at a grave disadvantage. 
The State of California high school graduation requirement for Math is Algebra 1.  Therefore, students who have not completed Algebra 2 in High School, or students returning after a long break, are at a disadvantage when entering college.
There is little emphasis placed on students from equity populations who wish to pursue a degree in Business, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math disciplines (BSTEM). There is no opportunity for these students to go back and build a solid foundation in Mathematics which they will need to be successful in courses such as Calculus and Physics.

I am writing to voice my disagreement with AB705 effectively banning all pre-transfer level math classes at California Community Colleges.  Not all community college students are ready to be successful in transfer level math their first semester in college, and not all community college students need to take transfer level math.

El canciller del sistema de colegios comunitarios de California está usando la ley AB705 para eliminar clases que asisten a estudiantes a prepararse para transferirse a universidades. Este cambio afectara a estudiantes empezando este otoño del 2022.  Sabemos que el departamento de matemáticas de Santa Rosa Junior College está en oposición de esta decisión por el canciller. 

La misión del sistema de colegios comunitarios de california es proveer apoyo a estudiantes en sus colegios y apoyar sus metas educacionales, no quitar el apoyo necesario para sobresalir.
Esta decisión del canciller pondrá en riesgo el apoyo económico que muchxs estudiantes necesitan para poder enfocarse en sus clases. Si un colegio decide ofrecer estas clases sin crédito, no habrá apoyo económico para estxs estudiantes. 
Esta decisión cambia los requisitos para estudiantes que planean estudiar un título vacacional que no requiere clases para transferirse a la universidad. Estas carreras incluyen bomberxs, enfermerxs, mecanicxs automotriz, y muchas más que negaran un carrera a muchxs.
El requisito para graduarse de la preparatoria en california es solo de tener algebra 1. Muchxs estudiantes no estarán capacitadxs para tomar clases de matemáticas en el colegio y habrá muchas consecuencias negativas. Habra muchxs estudiantes que no sobresaldrán.
Para estudiantes que quieren estudiar ingeniería, matemáticas, negocios, tecnología y ciencias, no habrá oportunidades para que repasen material que aprendieron anteriormente o para que aprendan cosas básicas que necesitaran en sus futuras materias.
Yo estoy firmando para presentar mi desacuerdo con la interpretación de la ley AB705 que efectivamente prevendrá que estudiantes puedan sobresalir en sus estudios y contribuir a la sociedad. Todx estudiante tiene el derecho a una educación equitativa en California.

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Signatures: 2,349Next Goal: 2,500
Support now
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Decision Makers

  • Jim WoodCA State Assembly Member
  • John HettsExecutive of Research and Data
  • Eloy OakleyCalifornia Community College Chancellor
  • Cadice BrooksDean, Educational Services and Support