California's Education Department Proposes Curriculum With Chants to Aztec Gods

The California Department of Education has proposed a new curriculum that would involve chanting Aztec gods' names in a bid to build unity among students.

According to Meaww, the proposed curriculum under the title of "ethnic studies" calls for the "decolonization" of American society and establishes ethnic, religious symbolism by introducing students to Aztec gods' prayers.

By affirming marginalized groups' identities and contributions to society, Fox News reported that the curriculum would help students see themselves and other people as part of the country's narrative.

The curriculum added that it would also help students see themselves as "active agents in the interethnic bridge-building process we call American life."

Although public schools in California are prohibiting Christian prayers, reports said the proposal would teach students about an "ethnic studies community chant," in which they would appeal to the Aztec gods such as the god of human sacrifice for the power to become social justice warriors.

Curriculum on Aztec Gods

According to the California Department of Education, the draft curriculum was subjected to about 240 revisions in response to more than 57,000 public comments.

A chant based on "Panche Be," which it describes as "seeking the roots of truth," and "In Lak Ech," describes as "love, unity, mutual respect," was included in the curriculum.

It also includes a chant in the name of the Aztec god Tezkatlipoka that was honored with human sacrifice, and another chant using the term "Hunab Ku," or "One-God," identified as a Mayan deity.

There is also a chant to the gods Quetzalcoatl, Xipe Totek, and Huitzilopochtli for "healing epistemologies" and "a revolutionary spirit."

Fox News said the chant would start with a declaration that "you are my other me" and "if I do harm to you, I do harm to myself."

Meaww noted that the model curriculum recommends teachers to lead their students in a series of chants, indigenous songs, and affirmations.

It also instructs teachers to engage their students to challenge racism, discrimination, bigoted, imperialist and colonial beliefs, and other forms of oppression.

The curriculum noted that this is to inspire students to participate in social justice movements and "build new possibilities for a post-racist, post-systemic racism society."

Expert on the California Department of Education's Curriculum

According to Discovery Institute researcher Chris Rufo, the curriculum is one of the most diverse programs to attract attention in recent months, Love By Life reported.

The report further noted that most of the curriculum's language and content are similar to other programs related to the critical racing theory or a controversial way of analyzing personality that has sparked debate.

Meaww noted that the California Department of Education curriculum's rewriters missed some key points when it comes to the discussions of major ethnic groups in the United States, namely Latino, Black, Asian, and Native American.

The curriculum, which is the third version of the draft, would affect California's entire primary and secondary education system, consisting of 10,000 public schools with six million students. The school board is due to review the draft curriculum from March 17 to 18.

WATCH: Aztec Sacrifice - From Simple History