Arizona Is Having An Interesting Few Weeks

Ethnic Studies Banned In Public Schools

Fresh on the heels of a new immigration law that has led to calls to boycott her state, Arizona's governor has signed a bill banning ethnic studies classes that "promote resentment" of other racial groups.

Gov. Jan Brewer approved the measure without public statement Tuesday, according to state legislative records. The new law forbids elementary or secondary schools to teach classes that are "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" and advocate "the overthrow of the United States government" or "resentment toward a race or class of people."

The bill was pushed by state school Superintendent Tom Horne, who has spent two years trying to get Tucson schools to drop a Mexican-American studies program he said teaches Latino students they are an oppressed minority. There was no immediate response from the Tucson Unified School District, the law's main target.

Prederick wrote:

Gov. Jan Brewer approved the measure without public statement Tuesday, according to state legislative records. The new law forbids elementary or secondary schools to teach classes that are "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" and advocate "the overthrow of the United States government" or "resentment toward a race or class of people."

Wow, so they just outlawed the Tea Party?

Sometimes, I really hate living in this state.

They outlawed the Tea Party class from 2nd period.

Podunk wrote:

Gov. Jan Brewer approved the measure without public statement Tuesday, according to state legislative records. The new law forbids elementary or secondary schools to teach classes that are "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" and advocate "the overthrow of the United States government" or "resentment toward a race or class of people."

Just wondering, does Arizona have gay marriage on it's books?

Podunk wrote:
Prederick wrote:

Gov. Jan Brewer approved the measure without public statement Tuesday, according to state legislative records. The new law forbids elementary or secondary schools to teach classes that are "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" and advocate "the overthrow of the United States government" or "resentment toward a race or class of people."

Wow, so they just outlawed the Tea Party?

Zing!

I love how they manage to equate classes "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" with "advocating the overthrow of the United States government".

Stay classy, Arizona.

I'm so glad Arizona has stepped up and made itself a national laughing stock. It makes my living in South Carolina a little less unbearable.

Gov. Jan Brewer approved the measure without public statement Tuesday, according to state legislative records. The new law forbids elementary or secondary schools to teach classes that are "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" and advocate "the overthrow of the United States government" or "resentment toward a race or class of people."

Well this is certainly going to make teaching the history of the Civil War interesting...

Edit: just for reference, here's the relevant part of the bill:

15-112. Prohibited courses and classes; enforcement
A. A SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL IN THIS STATE SHALL NOT INCLUDE IN ITS PROGRAM OF INSTRUCTION ANY COURSES OR CLASSES THAT INCLUDE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
1. PROMOTE THE OVERTHROW OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
2. PROMOTE RESENTMENT TOWARD A RACE OR CLASS OF PEOPLE.
3. ARE DESIGNED PRIMARILY FOR PUPILS OF A PARTICULAR ETHNIC GROUP.
4. ADVOCATE ETHNIC SOLIDARITY INSTEAD OF THE TREATMENT OF PUPILS AS INDIVIDUALS.

The best part is that the law won't even cover the classes that prompted the law:

Horne has been trying to end the program for years, saying it divides students by race and promotes resentment. He singled out one history book used in some classes, "Occupied America: A History of Chicanos," by Rodolfo Acuna, a professor and founder of the Chicano studies program at Cal State Northridge.

"To begin with, the title of the book implies to the kids that they live in occupied America, or occupied Mexico," Horne said last week in a telephone interview.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwo...

E. THIS SECTION SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED TO RESTRICT OR PROHIBIT:

...

4. COURSES OR CLASSES THAT INCLUDE THE DISCUSSION OF CONTROVERSIAL ASPECTS OF HISTORY.
F. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO RESTRICT OR PROHIBIT THE INSTRUCTION OF THE HOLOCAUST, ANY OTHER INSTANCE OF GENOCIDE, OR THE HISTORICAL OPPRESSION OF A PARTICULAR GROUP OF PEOPLE BASED ON ETHNICITY,
RACE, OR CLASS.

Agent 86 wrote:

Sometimes, I really hate living in this state.

Agreed.

I am truly embarrassed right now.

Phoenix Rev wrote:
Agent 86 wrote:

Sometimes, I really hate living in this state.

Agreed.

I am truly embarrassed right now.

At least you guys get Rays Pizza.

I think things will work itself out after this November. I hate election years.

Wow. I'd love to know what the "the overthrow of the United States government" part refers to, or if it's just fodder for xenophobes.

LobsterMobster wrote:

Wow. I'd love to know what the "the overthrow of the United States government" part refers to, or if it's just fodder for xenophobes.

Fixed that for you.

I wonder if this law precludes the teaching of the history of slavery. It certainly seems to be geared toward that.

I like how the law only restricts ethnic studies. I guess courses based on race, gender, and sexual preference are still okay.
I keep hearing people on cable news screaming about "You have no idea how bad it is here! If you only lived in Arizona you'd understand! We're practically under siege from illegals!" With this recent batch of laws it certainly seems some in Arizona are targetting Mexicans alone for a legislative war.

Illegal aliens are what, about 1.5% of the people physically in the borders at any given time? And around 60% of them are people who simply overstayed their visas. Sounds like a crisis to me!

I have never taken an ethnic studies class. Are they classes that study the history of a culture? So a Chicano studies class is mote of a Mexican history course? Or are they more about just being Hispanic as a race? Either way I can find academic value for the courses.

Attn Phoenix, remember when you were a boom town? Sorry about your governor and school board full of wackjobs.

So just to be clear here. In the past month, Arizona continues to harass Latinos, worst by Joe Arpaio. They passed laws at the behest of fringe conservative groups requiring birth certificates to prove officials up for election are citizens, their school board has members who know the planet is 6000 years old, at the behest of militants a law is passed allowing for open display and carry of loaded guns.

And Mexican studies promotes race hate and an overthrow of the government?

Far be it for me to seek a pattern or logic, reason, from Arizona at this point. But didn't they just pass a law that invalidates all of the laws they just passed?

Interestingly, I have several friends in grad school in Phoenix. The level of brain drain they're describing (college educated people ready to flee the state) is pretty impressive, on par with Michigan's.

baggachipz wrote:

I'm so glad Arizona has stepped up and made itself a national laughing stock. It makes my living in South Carolina a little less unbearable.

Argentinian mistresses were so last year.

Still, judging from the SC gubernatorial ads that I am still not safe from even living in North Cackalacky, I would guess it is just a matter of time before the Palmetto state rises to the challenge.

Badferret wrote:

Argentinian mistresses were so last year.

Still, judging from the SC gubernatorial ads that I am still not safe from even living in North Cackalacky, I would guess it is just a matter of time before the Palmetto state rises to the challenge.

Oh yeah, SC is a perennial shame powerhouse, I'm just enjoying the short time off we're getting. The world will be back to sneering in our direction in no time. The bar's so low right now, I'm guessing my left ass cheek could run for office and win as long as it believes in a 6,000-year old planet.

baggachipz wrote:

The bar's so low right now, I'm guessing my left ass cheek could run for office and win as long as it believes in a 6,000-year old planet.

I was under the impression that only a right ass cheek could win an election in South Carolina.

iaintgotnopants wrote:
baggachipz wrote:

The bar's so low right now, I'm guessing my left ass cheek could run for office and win as long as it believes in a 6,000-year old planet.

I was under the impression that only a right ass cheek could win an election in South Carolina.

My point exactly.

I see your governor was in Florida last weekend, looking to rekindle the ol' Argentine passions again... I wonder why she was not willing to go just up the coast a bit?

Robear wrote:

I see your governor was in Florida last weekend, looking to rekindle the ol' Argentine passions again... I wonder why she was not willing to go just up the coast a bit?

Because then she'd have to go into South Carolina. Duh.

Ulairi wrote:

I have never taken an ethnic studies class. Are they classes that study the history of a culture? So a Chicano studies class is mote of a Mexican history course? Or are they more about just being Hispanic as a race? Either way I can find academic value for the courses.

The best class I've ever taken was called Rise of Modern Africa. Being of African descent, the class taught me a lot about where I come from. I couldn't imagine some redneck trying to pass a law that would make it illegal for me to take a class like that. Pretty f'n sad.

mindset.threat wrote:
Ulairi wrote:

I have never taken an ethnic studies class. Are they classes that study the history of a culture? So a Chicano studies class is mote of a Mexican history course? Or are they more about just being Hispanic as a race? Either way I can find academic value for the courses.

The best class I've ever taken was called Rise of Modern Africa. Being of African descent, the class taught me a lot about where I come from. I couldn't imagine some redneck trying to pass a law that would make it illegal for me to take a class like that. Pretty f'n sad.

I just find it weird that people in Arizona don't find value is studying different ethnic groups, their culture and history. There is very valuable information to be gained from that evaluation. Learning about Hispanic people doesn't say anything about non-Hispanic people.

I like how the Tuscon school district said this law does not pertain to them or the courses they offer.

Tucson Unified School District officials say the Chicano studies classes benefit students and promote critical thinking. "We don't teach all those ugly things they think we're teaching," said Judy Burns, the president of the district's governing board.

She has no intention of ending the program, which offers courses from elementary school through high school in topics such as literature, history and social justice, with an emphasis on Latino authors and history. About 3% of the district's 55,000 students are enrolled in such classes.

goman wrote:

I like how the Tuscon school district said this law does not pertain to them or the courses they offer.

A lot of people seem to be focusing on the "particular ethnic group" part and ignoring the "overthrow of the United States government / resentment toward a race or class of people" part.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
goman wrote:

I like how the Tuscon school district said this law does not pertain to them or the courses they offer.

A lot of people seem to be focusing on the "particular ethnic group" part and ignoring the "overthrow of the United States government / resentment toward a race or class of people" part.

Quentin - I wasn't being sarcastic. I do not follow your point.

I actually don't like pure ethnic studies too much. I prefer cultural geography studies. I think it puts some of these issues in better perspective.

Well maybe I am biased because I am a geographer.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
goman wrote:

I like how the Tuscon school district said this law does not pertain to them or the courses they offer.

A lot of people seem to be focusing on the "particular ethnic group" part and ignoring the "overthrow of the United States government / resentment toward a race or class of people" part.

Because then they'd have to stop teaching the history of the Civil War.