The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch
Blog Categories: Politics | News | Music | Chow | Do This! | Media | TV | Arts and Culture | Snapshot | Cinema | Fun in General | Just Plain Dumb | more categories»
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Politics / News Raúl Grijalva: Investigate Attack on Mexican American Studies
Posted by Mari Herreras on Tue, Jan 24, 2012 at 4:30 PM
In a press release sent out by Rep. Raúl Grijalva's office today, as chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus the U.S. congressman sent a letter yesterday to the feds asking for an investigation into the anti-Mexican American Studies Law:
Grijalva Leads Hispanic Caucus Letter to Dept. of Education Calling for Mexican-American Studies Support, Civil Rights InvestigationWashington, D.C. — Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva, the chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) education task force, sent a letter yesterday to top federal education officials urging an investigation of whether an Arizona state law violates federal standards by targeting Tucson Unified School District’s successful Mexican-American Studies (MAS) program. The letter, sent to assistant secretary of education for civil rights Russlynn Ali and other Department of Education and Department of Justice officials and co-signed by CHC Chairman Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-Texas), calls Arizona Revised Statute (ARS) 15-122 “bad public policy and fundamentally flawed,” especially as it has been applied in targeting and shutting down the MAS program.
ARS 15-122 forbids schools to encourage “overthrow of the U.S. government” or prioritize ethnic identity over teaching students as individuals. Despite a 2011 audit of the MAS program finding “no observable evidence [. . .] to suggest that any classroom within Tucson Unified School District is in direct violation of the law,” Arizona schools chief John Huppenthal deemed the program illegal last June. Schools in the area have subsequently canceled related classes.
“Using the law to attack the MAS Program, with its proven educational successes, will only serve to exacerbate the already harmful anti-Latino sentiment in Arizona,” the letter reads. “We urge you in the strongest terms possible to open an investigation of ARS 15-112 and to ensure state compliance with federal law.” A provision giving Huppenthal and his successors sole authority to withhold 10 percent of a district’s state funding if he determines a district violates the law has proven especially controversial, especially after Huppenthal ignored the results of the audit he had requested.
“This is not about one group of people wanting special treatment,” Grijalva said in sending the letter. “This is about a successful educational program with a high graduation rate being shut down for purely ideological reasons. Public education isn’t supposed to be politicized in this country, but that’s exactly what’s happened in Southern Arizona and the students are losing out because of it. The Department of Education would do a great public service by conducting a full and fair investigation into whether this power grab is authorized under federal law.”
“Attacking the Mexican American Studies program sends the wrong message to Arizona’s students and denies the state’s rich history,” Rep. Gonzalez said. “Policy makers cannot look at history the way they look at items at a cafeteria, selectively picking what works for their agenda. It is critically important to teach history that treats minorities as an integral part of states’ development and to understand the contribution of minority communities of the past and present day. ARS 15-122 only serves to intensify the sentiments against Hispanics and I urge the Department of Education to investigate this ill-conceived statute.”
Comments (12)
Showing 1-12 of 12
like
dislikeIt sounds like the studies was being taught in a racist manner to hispanics only by hispanic teachers. Sounds a bit one sided to me. Why should one race (hispanics) have special treatment when the other (blacks, whites, asians, etc.) don't? Ethnic studies should be all cultures to all students.
You've got to be kidding me Sam.....WE hate racism. This course was clearly hateful and racist. I realize you dems want to teach the next generation all the benefits of victimhood. This class went a long way in doing that.
I took a minority relations elective at the U of AZ (WAY BACK), Everyday the Prof came in and started the class with "the Mexican-American man is the most discriminated against member of American Society". This was a Summer class and I was the only student even paying attention so I would counter that African American women had a pretty tough row to hoe as well. We would argue for an hour. He never showed up for the final so we all got our Midterm for a final grade. I got an A, but I wonder if he was teach at TUSD.
I think if raul is such a strong advocate of these studies, take the monies from his paycheck. Also have the classes at his house. MY relatives came from Switzerland, I can go to the library and or use the internet to find out anything I need to about my heritage. I do not force the taxpayers to teach me about my history.
Atzatlan. That's all anyone needs to know about the supposed Mexican American Studies. The completely insane people at La (klan with a tan) Raza teach Az, NM and Ca were all an Aztec region called Atzatlan. Whites came here and killed all the Aztecs and destroyed all the ruins to cover their crimes and now it is up todays "La Raza" to fight to return Atzatlan to Mexico. That lunacy, as well as the teaching that all "Mexicans" are victims in "white America" and must prepare for the fight that is sure to come. Did Raul Greedyjalva happen to mention the kids were gathered and dressed in brown shirts and combat boots and marched in military fashion as a demonstration of their willingness to "fight for the cause"? Mexican is NOT a race, it is a nationality. These kids are taught to be "Mexican" and hate all things American or "white". I'm sure many German children would learn to read pretty well from studying Mein Kampf, but would we really want them to be studying that with the excuse it is to educate them? Hate by any race is still hate. And teaching American children to hate their own country and fellow citizens because of their race is as low as it gets.
While I think it's admirable that these students are proud of their
culture & are interested in studying their heritage, it should not be part
of a tax-payer supported school program. It's totally discriminatory.
Specific culture & history should be taught at home. I'm Irish; why not
Irish ethnic studies? Why not German, Polish, Japanese, Native American,
Viet Namese, Italian, etc.? Are these cultures not part of the American
"melting pot". Why should the numerous other cultures that make up America
& pay taxes to fund our schools be discriminated against by funding an
ethnic studies course that addresses only one culture.
There is nothing wrong with Mexican-American studies. What is wrong is the teaching of defiance of US law by people who have in many cases remained here in defiance of US law.
The teaching about one's heritage should be done as an adjunct to education, not as a substitute for basic education. Students should be taught about being good citizens, how to respect authority, how to carry out change through peaceful means.
Many of these students claim that they are being DISrespected. DISRESPECT is not a verb. RESPECT is a verb and it is earned.
Earning respect is not done by wearing bandanas and trying to be like Comandante Marcos.
I say we investigate Raul's head. There is no way a humans can be that shape and size.
Boycott Grijalva's Head!
Learning about our heritage doesn't mean we're going to overthrow any government. Get this: WE LOVE THE UNITED STATES. That's why we live here, why we fight in the military to keep it safe and free, and why we consider ourselves above all else AMERICANS. Those of you making comments about how it's inviting hatred of the white man...take a walk in the shoes of a Mexican American for a year and see if you change your tune. A lot of us have gone thru things most can only imagine. And yet, we will die defending this country because we love it. What makes it different from learning about the Pilgrims, the slaves who were brought to the US from Africa? if learning about HISTORY means that you're going to overthrow the US government, then maybe no history should be taught at all...but then, where do you draw the line? is that why Shakespeare was banned as well? Tom Sawyer? what about reading about Ann Frank (who was Jewish), or JFK who was Catholic?
Sure is a lot of hating going on here. Do you realize you live in Southern Arizona? Mexico's across our border and AZ has been a state for only 100 yrs. This area is rich is heritage and culture....tons and tons of history here. We don't live anywhere near Ireland, France or Russia. Arizona has a history---and it's NOT European or Asian or African. Children should be educated about where they live and the history of the land and people. Matter of fact, everyone living here should know something about where they're living. You're not going to geographically change it....unless you just move out of here if you don't like it. You know the old saying, "When in Rome...." But, my gosh, maybe you just aren't educated enough to finish that statement.
Interesting that black studies has for many years called for anti American policies. It supported the violent Black Panther movement and numerous burning of major American cities. Yet white America has not stopped Black Studies. The reason is geo historical politics in relation to the Mexican people, not blacks. Its called colonialism.
Previously in the Range
More by Author
-
TUSD and Desegregation: a History
- May 10, 2012
-
UA Mexican American Studies Press Conference Thursday, May 10
- May 9, 2012
- More »
Popular Content
- You Win, Jill T. Nagamine (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
- Buddha's Dog House Is Open (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
- Seeing Stars (Well, Eclipsed Sun) (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
- You Should Read the Mad Men Power Rankings (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
- Here's What the Eclipse Looked Like, If That's Your Thing (The Range: The Tucson Weekly's Daily Dispatch)
