Mother concerned over San Ramon’s One Room School Program field trip rules

An East Bay mother is voicing her concerns about a field trip her daughter’s class is scheduled to attend San Ramon’s One Room School Program.

The mother is concerned about certain aspects of the field trip and has contacted the San Ramon Unified School District.

The One Room School Program, which is operated by the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, aims to give third graders a realistic taste of a day in 1888, which is when the school house opened.

Kids are encourage to dress in 19th century clothing and are given names and lessons from that timeframe.

The problem the mother has expressed is that the kids are told to address the teacher as “master.” The mother said students are also stripped of their real names and that experience is all too close to slavery.

The parent said the program does not acknowledge that Black and Brown students would not have been allowed to attend school during that time, and glosses over those important details of history.

The mother also said giving the kids new names with name tags placed around their necks and asking them to call their teacher master triggers painful memories of what African Americans actually experienced during that time.

NBC Bay Area reached out to the school district, which said it wants to ensure their field trips provide a positive and inclusive environement.

“While the field trip to the One Room School House offers a hands-on look at education in 1889, we recognize that certain historical reenactments may not reflect our modern values of inclusivity,” the district said in a statement. “We will collaborate with Museum SRV to explore these matters further, as we remain committed to providing educational experiences that are both historically meaningful and respectful of every child in our community.”

The program’s executive director said the parent’s complaint is the first of its kind in the more than 20 years they have held the experience. The executive director said he would be happy to meet with the parents and talk about possible alterations to the program that would make it more inclusive.