A public school in San Francisco recently hosted a workshop focused on the concept of “adult supremacy.” This reflects a growing trend in California where teachers and adults are being labeled as “oppressors.”
The event took place at John O’Connell High School during an “Ethnic Studies Everywhere” seminar in April. The workshop was named “Youth as Knowledge Producers: Challenging Adult Supremacy through Ethnic Studies,” according to attendees who spoke to the media.
Slides from the presentation described the dynamic between students and educators as inherently oppressive, positioning educators as the oppressors and students as the oppressed.
The workshop was led by Jennifer Sanchez, a third-year educator in ethnic studies from Central Valley, and organized by Teachers 4 Social Justice—a nonprofit aiming to create equitable learning environments.
The presentation argued that “adult supremacy” frames adults as more intelligent and capable than children, merely based on age, which in turn allows adults to control resources and make societal decisions.
According to the presentation, success in a Western context can often feel demanding and dehumanizing.
The Friends of Lowell Foundation, which advocates for academic success in San Francisco, echoed these sentiments in their own materials.
One slide pulled from the event cited scholar Jackson Matos, linking “adultism” to issues like cultural imperialism and exploitation.
A surprised San Francisco parent, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed concerns. “As parents and teachers, it’s our responsibility to share knowledge and experiences with the younger generation,” they noted.
The parent also criticized the district’s focus, saying that many students aren’t meeting grade-level standards in English Language Arts and math.
This group is pursuing legal action regarding the school district’s contentious “ethnic studies” curriculum, which has recently become a required course for high school freshmen.
It’s not just the teachers’ union that’s taking notice. Consultant Adam Fletcher, who works with California school boards, places “adultism” at the forefront of equity training for educators.
Fletcher remarked, “Adultism represents a bias against adults.” The idea was highlighted in an online seminar hosted by TEACH Los Angeles, a network funded by California Community Colleges.
Likewise, last year, the Oakland Youth Commission provided training for city staff about adultism, criticizing it for stripping power away from children.
Moreover, the Santa Clara Department of Behavioral Health Services has sponsored an “anti-oppression training series” that examined how “ageism and adult discrimination” contribute to broader societal issues. They encouraged participants to reflect on how notions of independence, influenced by capitalist ideologies, undermine the autonomy of both young and older individuals.
The San Francisco Unified School District has not yet commented on these developments.
As controversies regarding the ethnic studies program continue, Superintendent Maria Hsu is slated to attend a legislative session on June 10 to discuss parental rights and the presence of “inappropriate content” in schools.
