DLE Diversity Statement

The Department of Dual Language and English Learner Education (DLE) acknowledges, honors, and values our ancestral history and recognizes that we are located in the stolen territory of the Kumeyaay nations. DLE aims to transform public education to be inclusive, to honor diversity that leads to social justice and conscientização (Paulo Freire 1970). DLE upholds and values languages, cultural traditions, and funds of knowledge and designs course curricula that honor students in ways that they will become transformative bilingual educators who embody these same values. DLE also recognizes transborder/binational identities as a strength to learning and teaching. Therefore, DLE is committed to the inclusion of marginalized ethno-linguistic and indigenous groups, to leveraging language diversity, and to fostering a bilingual, multilingual pedagogy. DLE works towards social justice, antiracism, and anticolonial perspectives that values working with community partners such as parents and school districts to promote restorative justice. In collaboration with our stakeholders, DLE faculty engages in ongoing reflection and assessment of professional practice.

DLE aligns with the COE commitment to partnering and working in collaboration with community agencies and organizations that embrace this mission, particularly with regard to educating and serving students from all races, ethnicities, nationalities, sexual orientations, gender identities, creeds, religions, ages, social classes, socio-economic statuses, documentation statuses, physical and cognitive differences, political views, and veterans statuses.