I know some people who support the ethnic studies programs at TUSD are cautiously optimistic about Education Superindent Diane Douglas’ statements concerning the current Culturally Relevant Curriculum. I know Superintendent H.T. Sanchez has expressed hope he can work things out with Douglas. Me, I’m far from optimistic.
The one promising thing Douglas said is that she accepts the curriculum TUSD wrote for its ethnic studies courses, something Huppenthal wasn’t willing to say. But that only means she interprets the words in the curriculum documents in a way that she can accept. When she sees how it’s being implemented in the classroom, however, that doesn’t fit her reading of the curriculum, and she says it needs to change.
“If we continue to work together and (TUSD) Superintendent (H.T) Sanchez remains committed to correcting and supervising the implementation of the approved curricula, then we can avoid having to impose penalties on TUSD,” Douglas said.
The question is, what will she decide is appropriate implementation of the curriculum?
Douglas says she’s OK with the use of music in the classrooms. That means absolutely nothing. Is she OK with the song by Rage Against The Machine that Huppenthal criticized? She doesn’t say. It’s possible her idea of using music in the classroom is playing mariachi music and “negro spirituals” as examples of Hispanic and African American culture, but all those angry songs that stir up resentment are inappropriate.
Douglas says she’s OK with exposing students “to the suffering, trials and triumphs of all ethnic groups who have contributed to our state’s rich cultural mix.” What, exactly, does that mean? It could mean it’s OK with her to teach that slavery was awful and Hispanics were mistreated in the past, but now we’re a post-racial society where a black man is president and Oprah Winfrey is one of the country’s most respected women, so it’s time for everyone, including the people teaching those classes, to stop playing the race card. What if a teacher wants to discuss the idea that the recent shootings of unarmed black men by police officers is an example of the continuing problems with racism in our society? Is that OK with Douglas, or is that promoting resentment? At this point, no one knows.
This is Thought Police stuff. People from the Department of Education will descend on TUSD on a regular basis to sit in on ethnic studies classes and determine if teachers are abiding by the anti-MAS law, SB 2281. That’s a dangerous stifling of academic freedom. Academic freedom isn’t absolute, of course, but when the only guideline for what materials are acceptable for use in the classroom and what ideas can be presented by a teacher is a judgement call by someone from the state department who is monitoring the class, that creates an oppressive atmosphere where teachers have to second guess how to present the information and ideas which form the substance of their courses.
If I were one of those teachers, I would be terrified that any materials I brought into the classroom or anything I said could result in the state deciding the program is in violation of the law. My job could be in jeopardy because someone decided I was promoting resentment toward a race or class or promoting the overthrow of the government. If I continued teaching the course in the way I believed it should be taught, I could even be accused of purposeful violation of the law and have criminal charges brought against me.
There’s no way to predict what Douglas’ next move will be. But Tucson has a years-long history of the Mexican American Studies program being scapegoated by two previous superintendents, Horne and Huppenthal. We know from statements Douglas has made that she’s a conservative cultural warrior of the first order. It’s naive to believe she’ll be satisfied with anything less than a major overhaul of the way the courses are taught.
If Sanchez and those board members who are supportive of the program want to hope for the best, that’s fine, but they should be prepared for the worst. They need to have clear guidelines for themselves about where they’re willing to compromise—what they’re willing to concede—and where they will draw the line and say, “This far, and no farther.”
This article appears in Jan 8-14, 2015.
Are there board members we don’t know about? HT got a new gig to add to his resume, he is very happy. Douglas is clueless, waiting for instructions from her puppeteers. I vote no confidence in either one.
I realize that at my age I should not be so naive, but until we see an actual action against which to judge Douglas’ words, I’m going to withhold judgment. After every election, I knock my head against the wall and say the people have spoken. Now let’s see what the winner actually does. I don’t have a lot of confidence in Douglas based on her sad campaign. I think Garcia was a far superior candidate. But not enough of the voters agreed with me. Now we have to wait and see. I predict we will have answers within a month. But give her a few days in office before we leap to the barricades. Nobody thought Harry Truman could do the job, and look how he turned out. No, I am not equating Douglas to Truman, just the point that you don’t really know until they actually do something. At least she met with Sanchez and created some talking room.
This article was an obvious attempt to do exactly what La raza wants. Stir up the hate and discontent.
Hatemongers, racists need no one to incite them or get them upset, they stay in this perpetual state of anger, vile self consumed bitterness, the good thing is racists no matter what race, culture, social economic status are their own worst enemies in the end, God has assigned a judge for them his son Jesus who will give them all what they desire the most in this world to be amongst their own kind only and ironically they will still not be happy or content when they reach this eternal destination, in fact it will be a eternity of whining, crying, gnashing of the teeth and claw with no end!
” We know from statements Douglas has made that she’s a conservative cultural warrior of the first order. ” Safier
Really? Care to share those statements?
Linking Douglas to Horne’s and Huppenthal’s anathema directed at the MAS program despite all evidence to the contrary is another cheap shot by a seasoned practitioner. When Douglas mandates cameras in classrooms to monitor the program’s teachers I’ll be on the ramparts screaming in protest. Until jackbooted thugs from the state descend on Tucson to take over the program I’ll wait to see if Douglas and Sanchez can reach an accommodation allowing the program to continue – and perhaps expend throughout the district as Douglas suggested – without inference from Phoenix.
Chicken Little hysteria serves no purpose – we’ll know when the sky is falling. And as Dylan sang, “now’s not the time for your tears.”
Well, I am an old geezer and I do not recall any Mexican studies in my far off youth. I think a good history class should sort things out quite nicely. From what I see on TV there are a lot of folks who don’t know who the Vice President is, don’t know when WW2 was fought etc. etc. Maybe we should work on basic government and basic US history. Save the detailed Mexican-American studies for University.
Wonderful! What the HECK does TUSD do?? Stay up at night figuring out ways to “stir the pot”?? Worst School District Ever~ !! They need to be disbanded and smaller districts created….ones that dont foster hate and racism!! We are all Americans, not Mexican Americans, or African Americans…just plain Americans!! Learn about YOUR heritage from YOUR parents!!!
This is an incredible amount of hot air about not much, other than as a political bludgeon for right wing politicians.
So far this has all been about political game playing. Sanchez and Douglas are …for now…playing nice with each other because they each think this is the best way to preserve their own jobs. When Sanchez starts to get beaten up by the Common Core folks for making common cause with Douglas and she gets beaten up by everyone who thinks ethnocentric education is not a good thing we may see a pair of 180 degree changes. David may well be right that it is too early to say how it all will shake out.
So basically the state should butt out and trust Sean Arce and Augustine Romero to run TUSD?
So basically the state should butt out and leave it to Augustine Romero and Sean Arce to run the program?
If I were in Phoenix and read this blog I would shut off any hope for the program ever resuming. There is no need to have ANY discussion in this supposed setting of any of the recent police incidents because that only creates a prejudice that is almost impossible to reverse. David, you continue to thoughtlessly spew populist nonsense in such a way that I am thankful you are no longer in the classroom {if you ever really were}. At least here any student exposure is tempered by coherent counter thought.
She worked in a stained glass store and now she’s a state executive. Arizona truly is the land of opportunity.
Why is everything with TUSD “a battle?” Other school districts are not battling the taxpayers to try to rewrite history and indoctrinate certain races.
Mujer, I agree this IS a great country. Through our democratic process ANY person is able to rise to ANY elected level.
The school district needs to get reed of the Mexican studies and other studies that aren’t relevant and put History back in the schools and maybe the students might learn something that’s meaningful and helps out in there lives.
Clifford, you should probably advocate for spelling and grammar classes.