The four-step sequence
- 1
Request the materials in writing
Email the principal and the district curriculum office. Cite Education Code § 49091.14. Ask for the syllabus, all slides and handouts, assigned readings and videos, guest speakers, and any third-party or vendor materials. Ask for a written response with a date certain.
- 2
Document what your child brings home
Photograph or scan every handout, worksheet, and assignment. Save links. Note verbal instructions, group-assignment rules, and any grading tied to political action. Dates and teacher names matter.
- 3
Preserve the district's response
Save every email. If the district refuses, delays, or provides only partial materials, that response itself is part of the record.
- 4
Submit for legal review
Send the materials through our confidential intake. Javitch Law Office reviews every submission and will contact you if the facts support further action.
What "opt-out" actually means here
People search for "opt out of ethnic studies" expecting a form. That is not how this works. AB 101 imposes a course requirement, not a lesson-by-lesson mandate. The leverage parents have is over the specific content — the individual lessons, assignments, and materials — not the course label.
When the content stereotypes students by race, compels political speech, or grades activism as academic work, it crosses lines set by California Education Code and federal civil-rights law. Documenting that content precisely is what makes any subsequent legal or administrative challenge possible.
What to send us
- The course syllabus and pacing guide
- Slide decks, handouts, and worksheets
- Assigned readings, videos, and outside links
- Third-party curriculum, vendor names, consultant contracts
- Guest speaker names and organizational affiliations
- Your written requests and the district's written responses
Frequently asked questions
Is there a statewide opt-out from ethnic studies in California?
No. AB 101 does not include a blanket opt-out. However, individual lessons and assignments may be subject to opt-out under other California Education Code provisions — including instruction on health, sex education, and any lesson that conflicts with a family's sincerely held religious beliefs — and materials that classify or treat students differently based on race may violate state and federal civil-rights law regardless of any opt-out.
What is my first step?
Request the full curriculum in writing under Education Code § 49091.14: the syllabus, slide decks, handouts, assigned readings, videos, guest speakers, and any third-party or vendor materials. Ask for the response in writing. If the district refuses or delays, document that — it is often the most important record you will have.
What if the school says the course is required to graduate?
Starting with the class of 2029–30, completion of an ethnic studies course is a graduation requirement. That does not obligate a student to complete specific assignments that unlawfully discriminate, compel political speech, or violate civil-rights law. The right response is rarely to withdraw the student — it is to document the specific unlawful content and challenge it.
Can I be retaliated against for objecting?
California and federal law prohibit retaliation against students or parents for asserting civil-rights complaints. If retaliation occurs — grade changes, disciplinary referrals, exclusion from activities — document it precisely (dates, names, exact statements) and include it with your submission.
How does Javitch Law Office help?
Javitch Law Office reviews submitted materials confidentially and advises whether specific curriculum content crosses legal lines under the California Education Code and federal civil-rights law. Consultations are handled directly with the firm.