DONNA—A Valley teacher visited Austin on Tuesday to testify before the Texas State Board of Education to get Mexican American Studies taught in public schools.

The board is considering to have this course as part of state standards, also known as Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Mexican American Studies is only taught through dual enrollment courses.

“I can say that I am Mexican,” said Donna High School student Perla De Leon. “I wanted to understand my roots and I wanted to understand my culture first.”

De Leon is a senior at the high school and is in Juan Carmona’s Special Topics dual-enrollment course.

Carmona is a social studies teacher. He will be testifying before the board and will show them his lesson plans. The first time the course was proposed to the board was in 2014.

The state eventually allowed the courses to be taught through dual-enrollment classes.

“Like the 13 colonies, British territories, we teach the 13 colonies, that’s American history,” Carmona said. “So should the rest, anything that is now America, that’s American history.”

He said students should get both sides of history.

The item will be reviewed in Austin. If approved, the development of TEKS for a Mexican American Studies course could begin.