AZ: TUSD board affirms decision to keep ethnic studies

[Jean]

TUSD board affirms decision to keep ethnic studies

(262) Comments

Jamar Younger Arizona Daily Star Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Friday, December 31, 2010 12:00 am

The TUSD Governing Board voted Thursday to allow for the continuation of the district's ethnic-studies program, saying it complies with a new state law intended to end the program.

The program, specifically Mexican American Studies, has been targeted by Arizona Schools Superintendent Tom Horne, who says it promotes ethnic chauvinism.

Horne said in a phone interview later Thursday that the district is in danger of losing some of its state funding over the issue.

The new law prohibits courses that promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, promote resentment toward a race or class of people, are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group and advocate ethnic solidarity instead of treatment of pupils as individuals.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed the law, formerly known as House Bill 2281, in May. The bill goes into effect today.

The school board approved the final resolution during a special meeting at its district office.

The meeting room was filled, mostly with concerned ethnic-studies students who came in during their holiday break to find out the status of their program.

The resolution specifically addressed the new law, stating the ethnic-studies program does nothing to violate the law.

According to the resolution, TUSD "recognizes its Ethnic Studies courses in no way, shape or form promote the overthrow of the United States government" and "that the inclusion of historical oppression … within the curriculum does not inherently promote the resentment of a particular group of people nor does it promote anti-American sentiments."

This was the third resolution by the board expressing support for the program.

"The previous ones were greater in scope," said board member Adelita Grijalva, who initiated the first resolution approved in May.

That resolution denied that TUSD's program promoted any of the prohibited items listed and pointed out the benefits of the courses, Grijalva said.

In September, the board adopted another resolution reaffirming the first one and stating that it supports programs that result in increased student achievement and other benefits.

The district did not make any changes to its existing program, she said. "That's assuming we're guilty of something," she said.

Horne maintains the district is violating the new law and said he will give proof during a Monday news conference,

He referred to the district's resolution as the "expression of the conclusion" that it's not violating the law. "It's contradicted by detailed evidence," he said of the resolution. "The evidence shows they're not in compliance."

The school district could lose up to 10 percent of its state funding if it does not terminate the program, although the district wouldn't lose the money immediately, he said. That amount is estimated to be about $3 million a month. The school district would have the right to appeal the decision to withhold the funds.

The district will have 60 days to terminate the program before incoming state Schools Superintendent John Huppenthal can decide to withhold the district's money, he said.

Horne will assume the job of Arizona attorney general at noon Monday, a couple of hours after his news conference.

TUSD will consult its legal counsel and likely apply for a judicial hearing to appeal a state decision to withhold money, said incoming TUSD Superintendent John Pedicone.

As the district prepares to battle with the state, students will anxiously await the outcome.

Angelica Peñaran's curriculum consists almost entirely of ethnic-studies classes, she said.

If the program is discontinued, it would take away her whole schedule, she said.

"It's very stressful and unnerving to not know what's going to happen," said the senior at Tucson High Magnet School.

Peñaran, 18, attended the meeting, hoping to find out more details about the program.

"They're just repeating what they said in the past," she said. "They didn't say what kind of actions they would take to preserve our classes."

http://azstarnet.com

[Jean]

TUSD could lose $15 million over ethnic studies
Posted: Dec 31, 2010 3:48 PM PST
Updated: Dec 31, 2010 7:36 PM PST

"The district does not believe it's out of compliance," says new TUSD Superintendent John Pedicone. "That's the position I'm taking as I enter this job."

Pedicone will likely have to fight a battle he did not choose but one being left on his doorstep by outgoing Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne.

Horne has been an outspoken critic of TUSD's ethnic studies program and was instrumental in getting SB 2281 passed and signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer in May.

The law, which takes effect December 31, 2010, does not ban ethnic studies but is so broad and sweeping, it can have that effect.

As he leaves office on Monday, Horne is poised to take one more swipe at TUSD.

According to a press release from his office, the law allows Horne to unilaterally declare the district in violation of the law and penalize it by withholding 10% of its state budget. That would be near $15 million.

Pedicone feels Horne is being premature.

"I respect his position, he's the superintendent for a moment longer," he says. "But if you're really concerned about compliance...you let the new superintendent deal with it."

That new person is Republican John Huppenthal, who has already met with TUSD on the issue according to Pedicone.

He will be sworn in on Monday, along with Horne who becomes the new Attorney General.

Pedicone says the $15 million cut would cripple the district.

The law also gives the district the right of appeal which, if Horne decides to pursue action, the district will do.

Pedicone also says the district is under a federal court approved order to provide ethnic studies.

When the desegregation order against TUSD was lifted after being enforced for 30 years, a federal judge approved a post unitary plan which still guides the district.

"Embedded in the post unitary plan are ethnic studies," says Pedicone. "So there is a federal plan we follow with the needs of the under served population that were the litigants of the original lawsuit."

It's complicated he says.

Also complicating matters, the TUSD governing board passed a resolution saying it will comply with state law but will keep its ethnic studies program.

http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=13766472

[Syanis]

Whats so hard to understand? Looking at Hispanic and Mexican history its been very solidly anti US and anti Americans. Its no different then teaching Nazism in schools saying its to educate students what Nazism is and what its like but they know better then to actually use those teachings.

It also puts at odds American History. American history is what needs to be taught. American history has parts with all White, Black, Asian, and even hispanic. Of course as a majority white country for a long long time yes the majority of the history will be with white faces. However our history consists American history not racial history. They also spit on other ethnicities not hispanic by having this study be it from any country we have immigrants from including even white countries.

This program is pure racism. I hope it gets struck down and the school district loses bigtime.

[ReggieMay]

Pedicone also says the district is under a federal court approved order to provide ethnic studies

Will I be able to study the history and accomplishments of Poland or is this specifically for Mexican students because they're so special?

[Syanis]

Its only mexican studies. They don't even really touch into the deeper Spanish and Latino areas. Its basically mexican history 101 but they call it ethnic so to play the race card to an advantageous state.

[NoBueno]

According to the resolution, TUSD "recognizes its Ethnic Studies courses in no way, shape or form promote the overthrow of the United States government" and "that the inclusion of historical oppression … within the curriculum does not inherently promote the resentment of a particular group of people nor does it promote anti-American sentiments."

Sounds much like the words Kennedy spoke when he stood on the floor of the Senate and delivered a line of deceit in support of the immigration and reform act of 1965 - which fundamentally changed the makeup of this country - by giving preference to every third world immigrant, over the traditional European immigrants this country was founded upon. Everything he said wouldn't happen has happened.

Like in this case, everything they say is not happening in respect to the mexican reconquista studies program in the TUSD is happening and being taught. The propaganda of denial is what these reconquistas know best and use to promote their radical and racial agenda.

That resolution denied that TUSD's program promoted any of the prohibited items listed and pointed out the benefits of the courses, Grijalva said.

I'll sleep better now knowing the racist and reconquista lover Adelita Grijalva gives full support to this program.

[mapwife]

Bump

[Ratbstard]

Related: http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-223313.html

[sarum]

Great! Just Great!

Let us re-evaluate the purpose of public education. The purpose is to get everybody on the same page so that we can function togther as a society. The purpose is to make people employable in society. The purpose is not to make people feel goood or bad about themselves. The purpose is not to teach any kind of supremacy or superiority at all. The purpose is to teach one how to think. How to make inquiry and cover all the bases. How to do basic calculations If you want to preach racism and hate you don't need to go to public school to learn all about it.

We can just eliminate public education entirely. After all we are rapidly devolving into a slave nation anyway since so many people are reduced to working for a meal not even for minimum wage. (Is that like Mexico yet?) What TUSD is teaching is already taught in the community, in the church, in the sports - it is duplication of effort and contrary to the purpose of public education.

In case any of you havent read any school books lately - pick up a young child's history book and look at the hatred codified in there - teaching against euro-descent peoples, calling everything euro peoples have done is a crime - it's unbelievable and it's public school so the white kids are already being taught self-hatred and have for decades so it all needs to stop surely not to pile more on as TUSD is doing.

[keekee]

[quote="jean"]TUSD board affirms decision to keep ethnic studies

The TUSD Governing Board voted Thursday to allow for the continuation of the district's ethnic-studies program, saying it complies with a new state law intended to end the program.


Does anybody else see a contradiction in this first paragraph? How can anyone comply with a law to end something by allowing the continuation of the thing in question???????