<figure><img width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/051122-Elementary-School-MG-CM-07.jpg?fit=1024%2C682&ssl=1" class="attachment-rss-image-size size-rss-image-size wp-post-image" alt="Students in a classroom in Sacramento. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters" /></figure>Proposals to add specific topics to California public school curricula abound, but they take time away from basic academic skills that are already lagging.