Arizona is the most racist state in the country. All evil state laws start there. Their state is rampant with evil, racist politicians and judges.Yesterday, a racist Arizona administrative law judge, Lewis Kowal, has sided with the right wing extremist Tucson school chief John Huppenthal saying the district's very factual Mexican American Studies program runs afoul of the state law. The law in question was passed in May of 2010 amid controversy over Arizona's racial profiling bill sb1070. Another racist Arizona bill, hb2281, specifically targetted Latino studies programs taught by the high schools in the Tucson Unified School District. Now, Tuesday's ruling puts the Mexican American Studies program in jeopardy.
Latinos, one thing we must ALL note: the racsist Judge's ruling is MERELY a recommendation. HOWEVER, his recommendation is to the racist superintendent of schools, Arizona's John Huppenthal. Huppenthal was against the program to begin with. Now it's up to the racist Huppenthal to decide whether the programs should continue. If he stops them, NO MORE TRUTH will be taught. No more teachings about Cesar Chavez or Dolores Huerta. No more teachings about the history of Latinos in America. No more teachings about our roots. No more teachings about the hundreds of years of abuses that occurred. This is like denying Slavery existed or that the Holocaust occurrred. Expect all of American History to be whitewashed.
We must all remember the words of the famed poet, George Santayana, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
Subjects like ethnic studies are better taught in college. That is where African American and Native Americans studies began. Kids have a tendency to react by ostracizing "the others" instead of learning from the new self-awareness gained from the course.
ReplyDeleteOne way around what just happened in that court is to coordinate a class with the local community college, even online.
I can't understand what is Arizona's problem with Hispanics. Illegal immigration or not, the state will always have Hispanics; many of whom are actually native to the States before 1776, when the actual USA was formed.
In a way, the school superintendent, racist or not, is right. Ethnic studies is an adult subject better understood by more mature minds. Even if everyone does not attend a Mexican Studies class, they will know people that have. I'm quite sure that even if the program is eliminated, there are plenty of alumni out there who will spread the information to others. I was personally surprised to learn that any school district had such program. They are usually cheapskates. The only reason why the bilingual program hasn't been eliminated is because it is federal money. The Mexican Studies program had to be paid for by the school district. This is the reason why religious organizations, with the exception of evangelicals, who think that America is officially a "Christian country" and that the government should pay for religious instruction, insist on having their own schools where they have the constitutionally protected right to teach their children their religion. There is always home-schooling as well.
Governor Jan Brewer, comments in her book, "Scorpion's For Breakfast " in regards to the ethnic studies program taught at the Tucson Unified School District in Tucson. Brewer who signed legislation, banning ethnic studies from the state defends her decision saying, "she was not going to allow Arizona’s tax dollars to be spent on programs that tell some Arizona children that other Arizona children were their oppressors.’’ However, Governor Brewer, failed to mention the fact, that the price tag of the ethnic studies program in general is funded by the tax dollars provided by the Hispanic people of the district.
ReplyDeleteAttorney General of Arizona, Thomas Horne, formerly Superintendent of public school's, has been a long time opponent of the ethnic studies program, claiming the studies were UN-American. However, logic would indicate, that events transpiring on American soil, would in fact, become a Part of our Nations history.
Horne, further suggested, that the program was capable of encouraging an overthrow of the United States Government by the high school students involved in the program. A state funded investigation on the matter later revealed the allegation's made by Horne, to be false.
"Skeletons for breakfast," would be an appropriate name for a book, describing in detail the dark history of Arizona's ill treatment of their Mexican / American community. The ethnic studies program is a valuable asset in preventing Governors, Attorney Generals, and State Senators, from exhuming the remains of former legislation, and reinstating inhumane policies of the past, which would ultimately result in a direct violation of human Rights.
Historians dedicate a major part of their lives searching through the pages of time, in an effort to avert the mistakes of the past. Should students from the Tucson Unified School District, be deprived by the State of uncensored historical events, which would serve as an indication as to what the future may have in store for them in the State of Arizona, after all, "History is the prophet of the future."
Costarikker, After reading your comment, I feel you deserve a hats off. Although, I don't fully agree with you,I must compliment you on the dignified manner used,in order to express your point of view.
ReplyDeleteI want to send you my support from Canada. I hope that the US policy towards immigrants will change. Immigrants are same people like any other. We want to support immigrants in Toronto by Immigrant awards.
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