A bill proposed to the Nevada legislature last week would make ethnic studies a core academic subject required for high school graduation.

Introduced by Sen. Tick Segerblom (D), SB107 would require students to enroll in and pass an ethnic and diversity studies course in addition to American government and American history.

“My main motivating factor is that we are becoming a majority minority state,” Segerblom told the Weekly by phone. “When you look at the public school system, 70 percent of kindergarteners are a minority. I think it’s important that growing up, [minority students] have feedback about their cultures and their histories, and not just Ben Franklin and Christopher Columbus.”

In her supporting testimony, Nevada State College assistant professor of psychology Shantal Marshall explained that “sense of belonging” drastically influences a student’s success. She suggests that stereotypes, combined with a lack of belonging, often results in “disengagement from school.” Requiring students to take ethnic and diversity studies, Marshall argues, would improve students’ sense of inclusion, which could yield better academic performance, increased graduation rates and better college enrollment.

Clark County School District currently opposes the bill, because SB107 would add an entire credit requirement to students’ course loads. “We believe the better solution is through the integration of the state’s social studies standards,” says CCSD communications manager Melinda Malone, adding, “The district is in support of ethnic studies.” The bill will be voted on in the senate education committee this month. Segerblom also introduced the bill in the 2015 legislature.

“Hopefully, we can work through the system, where it’s an elective course to start with and down the road it’ll be a mandate,” Segerblom said. “It’s so important that when you have so many people from different backgrounds, they fit in and are part of the American dream.”