Data is a definitive force when it comes to legislation, but when your legislation affects real people, what happens to the outliers?

Under AB 1705, non-transfer-level math and English courses have been eliminated in the hope that more, though not all, students will transfer or graduate faster. There may be data behind this claim,  but students are now expected to fit the data instead of being supported by it. AB 1705 is a bill that undermines the purpose of community colleges — to provide for all types of learners — by removing student and teacher autonomy, prioritizing transfer rate speed instead of learning, and limiting access to foundational courses. In prioritizing efficiency, AB 1705 disregards the complexity of the student body it affects.

California community colleges serve a diverse population from working parents and first-generation students to recent high school graduates and people thinking of changing careers. According to the textbook Governing California in the Twenty-First Century, “About 80 percent of California’s 3 million college students attend a University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), or community college campus, with 44 percent of the total attending community colleges” (Michelson et al. 7). California community colleges are cheaper, easier to enroll in, and, in general, just more accessible. All these qualities make community colleges the best option for people to start their journey in higher education. 

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools rapidly enter classrooms, colleges and universities are faced with a pressing question: how can AI be integrated in ways that support learning without undermining fairness, academic integrity, or skill development? To better understand student perspectives, a survey was conducted with 299 composition students at De Anza College during the Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 quarters.

The results challenge simplistic narratives that frame students as either enthusiastic adopters or resistant skeptics. Instead, De Anza students articulate a nuanced, values-driven position: they are open to AI as a learning aid, but not as a replacement for thinking, effort, or human judgment. 

On March 7, 2024, hundreds of faculty, students, and community members marched through Sacramento to demand a more just and equitable education system in California's Community Colleges.  In preparation for the march, dozens of dedicated employees worked tirelessly to obtain approval and coordinate its organization. I collaborated with AFT 1521 student-interns to speak in several sociology classes to engage students and encourage their participation. For me, this event began in the early hours of the 7th, when I met with over one hundred students and faculty at Burbank Airport before traveling to Sacramento. I was thoroughly impressed by the AFT 1521 student-interns who took charge right away in the morning, handing out boarding passes and shirts to everyone before we went through security.

I miss my classroom. You know, the physical space where we used to teach and learn? But, given what we do have, how we can encourage our students when they are feeling stuck about the political moment we are in. This post is for those who teach, those interested in teaching, and those seeking further education.

I spent the last year engaged in a study of student civic and political engagement programs throughout the state of California and am now back in the classroom applying some of the insights I gained. Although I did not exactly plan it this way, it turns out that right now is a pretty perfect time to apply these lessons.