In a press release sent out today by Tucson Unified School District’s media staffer Cara Rene, TUSD Superintendent John Pedicone asks for civility when it comes to Mexican American studies. Tucson Freedom Summer must have been tough on the beleaguered school district, but I’m not sure if the healing Pedicone calls for can easily begin with a press release.

Supporters of MAS have had actions in front of TUSD governing board member homes and knocked on their doors. Not everyone has agreed with that tactic, but I’m still not sure if a dismissive press-release request is enough to stop students and supporters from continuing actions in front of TUSD or during school board meetings. Nor should it be.

Attorney and TUSD parent Jana Happel spoke at the last school board meeting, and perfectly explained what could have been done to prevent the district from the national embarrassment it continues to face in how it went about “moving forward” by dismantling the classes, banning books and not renewing the MAS director’s contract—when the district’s deseg plan gave the district an out all along.

Happel’s comments at the board meeting (see video above) is a shoulda, so what happens now? Being more transparent would be a start. The development of a multicultural curriculum was supposed to include public input. That hasn’t happened yet. Perhaps it’s an acknowledgement that like MAS supporters, TUSD is playing a waiting game, too — waiting for the special master to unveil a new desegregation plan and waiting for a U.S. District Court judge to help determine if the anti-Mexican American studies law is unconstitutional.

Until a decision on any front comes forward, I suspect TUSD will have to face more actions in front of the admin building and inside during board meetings. If healing is something that the district cares about, starting by asking Chicanos and pro-MAS supporters to be “civil” is a huge fail.

Here’s a slide show of the latest action that took place Tuesday, July 31, outside the Tucson Convention Center when TUSD staff and educators gathered inside for the Back to School Assembly. TUSD staffers waiting in line as they checked in had to go in front of the pro-MAS action outside TCC. A few wore scowls on their faces, while other joined the chants, left the line to hug students and fellow educators, and flashed smiles at the students dressed in zoot suit-era costumes.

Tucson Unified School District calls for civility in words and actions
surrounding the discontinuation of classes in Mexican American Studies

Tucson, AZ, Aug. 2, 2012 — Tucson Unified School District leadership is calling for civility in the discourse about the former Mexican American Studies classes.

Since the TUSD Governing Board voted in January to comply with the State of Arizona requirement to discontinue the classes or lose $15 million in funding, there has been a troubling escalation of harsh words and actions against and in support of the decision.

Such extreme actions have included death threats to TUSD students, community members and board members, a smoke bomb incident at a public meeting, and visits to the homes of board members with the intent to intimidate.

“Such extreme acts of aggression cannot be tolerated,” says TUSD Superintendent Dr. John Pedicone. “Steps must be taken in order for the community to begin healing. To move toward that goal, we must first establish temperance in the tone of conversation and certainly in the actions taking place since this decision was made.”

District leadership joins with community members who have asked for civility and an end to the extreme tactics and threats being used by some as a course for change.

This article appears in Aug 2-8, 2012.

12 replies on “TUSD Press Release Asks for “Civility””

  1. Civility? Form whom? the outside agitators that supplied locks and chains? Civility from students who set off smoke grenades inside the TUSD board meeting? Show “civility” when these spoiled children learn to show it first.

  2. I like Mari. In fact I ADORE her. But she has to realize that the MAS courses were neither Mexican nor American. They were not rooted in culture but rather in the Marxist political movements of ‘Social Justice’ and ‘Liberation Theology.’ Both terms sound nice but when exposed as the incarnately evil and diobolical oxymorons they are maybe she too will realize they have no place in our schools. Mexicans were just used as the wrapping and decoy for this radically evil political theology, and for that she should be outraged. Mexicans always have a seat at my table in life. Marxists do not.

  4. Bob,
    Have you read any of the books that were “banned”?

    The move to end the MAS program was a direct response to the material being used in the classroom for courses which would replace the traditional US history and literature course requirements; thus if you have not read the material that was being taught you have no place in the discussion.

    As long as the discussion is normative and emotional, people will just call each other racists and we wont accomplish a thing. Read the books, learn about what was actually being taught and then we can have a positive discussion on the facts involved in the curriculum.

    I know my opinions on the issue have changed dramatically after reading the material and discussing it with Mexican-American teachers and administrators, whom are not a part of the MAS program. It was such a positive experience for me to learn about the Chicano movement and the divisions within the Mexican-American community on what Mexican-American means.

    Should this material and course work replace the U.S. history and literature requirements for high school graduation? (And if you have not read the material, how can you even begin to answer this?)

    Let us not forget that this was the big issue.

    Thanks and have a wonderful day.

  5. This Country, State, Town was successful NOT only because of Mexicans it was built by and successful because of the Asians, Italians, Mexicans, Irish, etc……….I am an Italian-American and I think if schools are going to teach Mexican-American courses they should teach courses about all cultures EQUALLY!!

  6. I figure a good way to figure out if the program is wrong or not is to ask ourselves a simple question. If there was a Caucasian studies program would people want it removed? If the answer is yes, then so should any other Ethnic studies program.

  7. I can’t remember any school near me “back in the day” that had “Italian American Studies” or “German American Studies” in ANY shape or form, even though a good one-third of the kids in my classes were of “Italian American,” or (like me) “German-American” heritage.

  9. Maybe what we all need at this point in time in Arizona, is a course in geography. If any event occured within the boundaries of the United States, Than logic would indicate, that it is in apart of our nations History. If we want to change our policy, and remove freedom of speech from our constitution, fine . Till then let us recognize who is in fact fighting for our freedom, The students who are demanding their constitutional rights as citizens of this nation, or the politians, and thier constituents demanding those rights be revoked.

  10. Pumping up emotions with acts of intimidation and angry words does nothing to promote the MAS cause beyond keeping the program in the headlines. In fact, these tactics probably turn off many TUSD parents and taxpayers. Mexicans are not the only ethnic group in TUSD and are not the only Latino group in TUSD. Although I am a WASP, I include among my close Tucson friends (and in-laws) people from El Salvador, Uraguay, Colombia, the Phillipines, Puerto Rico, and Peru. Are their children served by “Mexican” American Studies? No. It’s time for inclusivity, not exclusivity. We are the 99%.

  11. Actually, I am surprised that Mexican American elected officials like Regina Romero and Richard Elias who are on the MAS Advisory Board have not taken the lead on calming things down and working toward resolution. How about a follow up story on that?

  12. John Pedicone promised us a public forum to discuss MAS on May 3rd, 2011… over a year later, nothing, no forums, and no more MAS classes that are federally protected

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