The arguments over Arizona’s anti-Mexican American Studies law in the 9th Circuit Court pretty much boil down to this: Are increased student achievement and self esteem important tasks of our public schools? The jaw-dropping answer from the state attorney was a simple “No.”

One of the judges hearing the case cited a recent study concluding that students who took Mexican American Studies courses had greater increases in achievement and higher graduation rates than similar TUSD students who didn’t take the courses. The lawyer for the state questioned whether the study was accurate, referring to the “purported effect” of the courses, but went on to say student achievement is irrelevant. Even if student achievement increased, that doesn’t matter in this case.

One of the judges asked whether there’s a problem with a class teaching students about their ethnic heritage and developing their sense of ethnic pride. The answer from the lawyer representing the state:

“I’m not sure it’s the purpose of the public school system to inculcate ethnic pride. I don’t know that there’s a constitutional right to classes that inculcate ethnic pride.”

To sum up: If the Mexican American Studies courses succeeded in increasing student achievement, but they violated a law that was created to make the courses illegal, the courses have to go. And if those same courses increased students’ motivation to work hard in school by educating them about their history and culture (recent research has emphasized the huge role motivation plays in student achievement), but they violate the same law that was created to make the courses illegal, the courses have to go.

Is it any wonder the judges suspect the law “is intended with discriminatory intent,” and the lawyers arguing against the law feel optimistic about their chances?

We’ve got an interesting scenario developing here. On the one hand, TUSD has until March 4 to make a deal with Ed Supe Douglas to keep her from deciding that the current Culturally Relevant Curriculum violates state law. On the other hand, the 9th Circuit Court could overturn that law, taking away Douglas’ main weapon in her fight with TUSD. The district has every reason to say to Douglas, “We need to wait for the court’s decision before making any changes to our current ethnic studies curriculum.”

This article appears in Jan 8-14, 2015.

6 replies on “The State: Student Achievement, Self Esteem Are Irrelevant”

  1. Yep, even though they show progress, it’s not ok to teach overthrow of the US government or the “Get Whitey” agenda from the likes of the Grijalva’s and H.T. Sanchez.

  3. The very first paragraph makes assumptions that have no basis in reality.

    And that’s because the supposed results referenced in the second paragraph are nothing more than political agendas , assumptions, and hyperbole.

    No wonder TUSD can not move forward.

    They have been taken over. Much like parts of Paris.

  4. Ratso: “They have been taken over”? Yeah, like your bullshit Faux News commentator said about Birmingham in the UK. You sure do love to chug-a-lug the grape kool-aid, don’t you? And Whatever: Again, you have no evidence to substantiate any of your wild, paranoid claims – put up or shut up. And how come you sissies don’t have the cojones to use your real names? You must not want your families and co-workers to know how bat-shit crazy your beliefs are. And “Grijalvas” doesn’t have an apostrophe, you ignorant wretch. You should have spent more time in public school – you might have learned the basic rules for writing in English.

Comments are closed.