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