Arizona bans ethnic studies in schools

[cali]

Arizona to Ban Cesar Chavez and Mexican American Studies in Schools?

The white-washing of Arizona — and its glorious history — marches on.

In a thinly veiled attempt to censor thriving Mexican American Studies/La Raza courses in Tucson, Arizona, and essentially eradicate 450 years of Mexican and Mexican-American history, culture, heritage from the curriculum and consciousness of Arizona students, state lawmakers in Arizona reportedly approved the shadowy HB 2211 bill last month — passed through the state senate this week — that would restrict “any courses or classes” that “are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group” or “advocate ethnic solidarity.”

According to news reports, the bill would also “ban classes that ‘promote resentment toward a race or class of people’ or “stir up resentment.”

Resentment? Is teaching Arizona children that Arizona native and Chicano leader Cesar Chavez led nonviolent marches on behalf of farm workers stirring up resentment?

Introduced by state Rep. Steve Montenegro, an immigrant from El Salvador, the bill has been thebrainchild of Canadian-native state school superintendent Tom Horne for several years. Born in Montreal, Horne has referred to ethnic studies programs in Arizona as “extremely dysfunctional.”

<snip>

http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/04/30/arizona-to-ban-cesar-chavez-and-mexican-american-studies-in-schools/

Legislators take aim anew at ethnic-studies programs


PHOENIX - State senators approved legislation aimed at the curbing the ethnic-studies program in Tucson Unified School District.

HB 2281 would make it illegal for a school district to have any courses or classes that promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, are designed primarily for students of a particular ethnic group or advocate ethnic solidarity "instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals."

It also would ban classes that "promote resentment toward a race or class of people."

Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Tucson, said the legislation is little more than a thinly disguised effort to quash a program TUSD officials have said was proven academically successful.

<snip>

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/education/precollegiate/article_c1f53405-acab-5f21-a580-a199a68ff76c.html

According to TUSD officials, the program in the district's Mexican-American studies department simply provides historical information, which conflicts with state School Superintendent Tom Horne's assessment the program is promoting racial hatred and "ethnic chauvinism."

[ZombieHorde]

1. Recommended. nt

[ProdigalJunkMail]

2. i read that as 'ethics studies' and thought...well, why should

they teach them when else does?

sP

[NoNothing]

3. Why would public schools

Ever have classes "designed primarily for students of a particular ethnic group?" Is this something that has actually happened or just scare stories?

[WillParkinson]

4. Well they should!

I mean, really, think about it. White people made this country what it is. White people are the driving force of this country. No minority had anything whatsoever to do with making America great. Seriously people, chill out.

There. I think I got it all. That said all I can say is 'ignorant bastards'.

[zazen]

5. I really thought the link would be to a parody from The Onion

Good God. How much worse can this get?

Oh yeah. Don't answer that.

[BlooInBloo]

6. Great job AZ electorate, really great job.

[Fire1]

7. Consider the source. n/t

[fishwax]

8. the stupid keeps coming

I wonder what's next ...

[sinkingfeeling]

9. I would suggest that the Apache, Navajo, Hopi, Havasupai, and other tribes in Arizona immediately

file suit to prohibit the teaching of 'American history' in Arizona schools, based on this POS.

[Juneboarder]

10. This is just sad...

This is taking away from their history and pride of where they live. It's going to be interesting to see if and how AZ pulls themselves out of this mess they gotten themselves into...

[pampango]

11. I wonder why teaching Hispanic, African-American, or Native American history would "promote

resentment toward a race or class of people?" Is there something in Arizona (or US) history that, if taught, might do that? ;)

Better that we should teach students a version of history that does not include "mistakes" made by the dominant culture lest we create resentment towards same (represented of course by republican politicians who, I'm sure, are the ones behind this legislation). I'm sure those republican legislators don't want students to learn so much history that they "resent" aspects of the dominant white culture. That wouldn't be good for republicans, I'm sure.

Reminds me of Mao's China, the Soviet Union, Germany in WWII - "my country (race, ethnicity) is perfect but we are surrounded (or infiltrated) by inferiors or antagonists who are to blame for all our problems. Our education system has to teach a "correct" version of history so that young people know the "correct" real world and will follow the lead of those in power.

If we can't teach history accurately and the sciences are under attack by fundamentalists, we deserve to fall behind countries that don't do these things. (Fortunately, many countries do the former, if not the latter, so there is hope.) We can always hope that the rest of the world joins us in teaching fiction as history, so that their citizens are also unprepared to deal with the real world and what has caused it to be the way it is; and that they hamstring their scientists so that they do not get too far out ahead of ours.

[MadBadger]

12. Yet in History classes, lets learn about all the GREAT Things done to Blacks, Natives, and Women.

:sarcasm:

[DevonRex]

13. No racism in AZ. Nothing to see here folks. Move along.

:sarcasm:

[That Is Quite Enough]

14. Arizona. Wow. n/t

[RobertPlant]

15. this bill is idiotic

its almost as if they want to get the students to grow up to be ignorant. Do they not realize that the education in Arizona is already sub-par and that the state ranks 50th out of 50 as the least smartest state in America?

[lpbk2713]

16. Beyond belief.

These people are incredible. They live in a parallel universe.

[ThoughtCriminal]

22. Having lived here for 28 years

I would say it is more like a perpendicular universe. I'm amazed, and that's after growing up in Alabama.

[dana_b]

17. how about the resentment they will feel when NONE of

their history or contributions to the U.S. are acknowledged? F***ing idiotic legislators.

[Rex]

18. So I guess no classes on neo-nazis or the Christian Identity Movement.

Did the Minute Men get to lawmakers or have they always been such racist assholes in Az?

[Angry Dragon]

19. "designed primarily for students of a particular ethnic group"

I read this also as not promoting anything whites did either..........one might as well forget history, do not teach it at all........forget the past it will just confuse you



I am just glad I am not trying to raise children today for this is a savage and hateful country at this time in our history ..... Damn ..I am sorry I forgot we were going to forget and erase history

[Shallah Kali]

20. "students who attend the courses perform better on AIMS, the state's standardized test "

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/06/12/20090612ethnicbanON0612.html

Arizona's schools superintendent Tom Horne is pushing legislation to ban ethnic-studies courses from high schools, specifically the 22 courses offered at four Tucson high schools in history, government, and literature.

If Senate Bill 1069 becomes law, a district or charter school that allows such courses would lose 10 percent of its state funds each month. The money would be returned when the district shut down the program.

snip

Romero also teaches one of the courses, U.S. Government and Social Justice. This course teaches the historic functions of government by tracking the changes in court decisions and legislation that reflect America's changing attitudes toward minorities.

Romero said the district supports the courses for good reasons: They connect students to their cultural past and their roles in American history, including students with Native American, Mexican, Asian and African American heritages. They heighten student interest and make the courses relevant to their everyday experience. Data collected since 2002 by the Tucson school district show students who attend the courses perform better on AIMS, the state's standardized test, than students who do not attend the courses. That fulfills the goal of No Child Left Behind, which is to raise student achievement among minority students.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/06/12/20090612ethnicbanON0612.html#ixzz0mdhBsHyq

[ThoughtCriminal]

21. Well let's see what might get banned

Can't teach about slavery - might create resentment about white slave owners.
Can't teach about WW-2 - might promote resentment towards the Japanese.
Can't teach about the Inquisition - might promote resentment towards the Catholic Church.
Can't teach about the European settlement of America - Might promote resentment against Europeans.
Can't teach Arizona history - see all above.
Can't teach about Arizona Government - might stir up resentment of idiots.