Augmented decolonization education could be implemented this school year

Juniors and seniors in Guam’s public high schools may start learning more about decolonization as soon as next spring.

A subcommittee of the Commission on Decolonization might recommend an education campaign geared toward older high school students so they can be better informed to decide on a plebiscite vote for Guam’s political status.

Amanda Blas, executive director of the commission, held a work session Thursday with commissioners and Guam Department of Education officials to determine what decolonization topics should be integrated into DOE’s curriculum.

The subcommittee agreed to expedite a plan for the two-year education campaign that they can recommend to the commission for approval. The subcommittee sees the third and fourth quarters of the upcoming school year as the earliest opportunity to implement the curriculum.

Information about Guam’s political status primarily will be taught in the Guam history classes, according to Blas. She asked each of the commission’s task forces to recommend information from their respective political status that will aid in the curriculum.

The recommendation stems from the commission’s efforts to educate the community on the decolonization process and the three political status options Guam could choose: free association, independence or statehood.

Some of the suggestions that came out of the work session include:

• Guam’s perspective of its history of decolonization and path of self-determination;
• understanding the United Nations charter;
• Guam’s relation with other non-self-governing territories;
• differences between U.S. laws and U.N. laws; and
• the U.S.’s role as a colonizer of Guam.

Blas said she will take these suggestions to the Department of Education’s deputy superintendent for further advisement.

A date for the plebiscite has not been scheduled. Attorney General Elizabeth Barrett-Anderson had filed a notice to appeal a ruling on a federal lawsuit challenging the voting process, which is limited to native inhabitants as defined by law.

Note: The story was corrected to state Blas will discuss topic suggestions with DOE's deputy superintendent.