Thread: Ethnic studies: TUSD to appeal state findings

Ethnic studies: TUSD to appeal state findings

Posted: Jun 17, 2011 9:14 PM EDT Updated: Jun 17, 2011 9:14 PM EDT

The ethnic studies battle takes it's next big turn.

Reporter: Tammy Vo

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - The majority of TUSD board members voted on Friday to appeal the recent findings of the state education department that the ethnic studies program violates state law. It was a decision that didn't come down easily.

Prior to the meeting, ethnic studies teachers and supporters called on district leaders to stand up against State Superintendent John Huppenthal.

"This is a man who will do anything for his own personal agenda and political motivations. He'll injure our students, our program and our community to get personal gain" said Curtis Acosta, a teacher within the program.

Ethnic studies supporters celebrated the results of the recent state audit which found that the program hasn't broken any laws. But that didn't matter. The state education department did more of their own research, finding that ethnic studies does violate state law. They provided dozens of passages from course books to prove it. They also believe that auditors didn't get the full scope of what ethnic studies is all about, because only 37% of classrooms were observed for thirty minutes, and that the district knew in advance when the observations would take place.

Now, TUSD has sixty days to get the course in check or they'll lose $15 million.

"A ten percent penalty to this district will seriously debilitate my ability to operate this district" said Superintendent Pedicone at Friday's meeting. He asked board members to vote to appeal the state's findings which would force a hearing to take place, which would give Pedicone some direction on how to fix what may be wrong with ethnic studies.

Board member, Adelita Grijalva asked "I want to know from the state... what is it that you want? Do you want us to provide more oversight? Do you want us to review the curriculum in detail?"

Board member Judy Burns called it "despicable" that three board members stalled an executive session meeting, in her opinion, without offering remedies for the situation.

Eventually, the majority of the board agreed to appeal the state's findings, except board President, Dr. Mark Stegeman. He felt that TUSD could still get advice from the state on how to fix ethnic studies without appealing the state's decision. The district has 30 days to file that appeal. Ethnic studies teachers will also file a court motion to put the state's decision on hold.

Spokesman Andrew LeFevre from the Arizona Department of Education did not have a comment on the board's decision late Friday. While he's not sure that an appeal would give the district more clarity when it comes to bringing ethnic studies in compliance with law, LeFevre indicated that the state has curriculum experts who would likely be able to help formulate an acceptable curriculum.

Also on Friday, Tucsonans United for Sound Districts announced that they are calling for the immediate resignations of board members Judy Burns and Adelita Grijalva as well as all other TUSD staff members who refused to cooperate with the audit investigation. Neither Burns nor Grijalva responded to KGUN 9's request for comment on the matter by deadline on Friday.

http://www.kgun9.com/story/14932555/eth ... ormat=HTML

TUSD may lose $15 million for violating state Ethnic Studies law

Posted: Jun 16, 2011 1:39 AM EDT Updated: Jun 16, 2011 1:48 PM EDT

Reporter: Craig Smith
Web Producer: Layla Tang

PHOENIX (KGUN9-TV) - TUSD's Mexican-American studies program is breaking Arizona law. State school superintendent John Huppenthal ruled Wednesday the program violates the law in several ways, including advocating resentment of other races.

The punishment could be the loss of $15 million in state aid each year.

As Huppenthal's decision drew near, fervent Mexican-American Studies supporters held an overnight vigil at TUSD headquarters. Ethnic Studies defenders feel so strongly the program is good for students they've even chained themselves to the chairs of TUSD board members to try to prevent any changes. That disturbance at an April meeting forced the board to postpone a vote on a proposal to make Ethnic Studies an elective rather than part of the core curriculum. That decision has still not taken place.

In his prepared statement the superintendent said Ethnic Studies fosters resentment by teaching Latinos they are an oppressed minority, adding that the program offers no other viewpoints. He also said the program is designed to attract minorities in a way that amounts to segregation and that the TUSD board did nothing to control the curriculum.

"They failed to comply with their own board policies on review of curriculum. They failed to comply with state law on development of curriculum. They failed to get broad based community input on design of curriculum," Huppenthal said during his address on Wednesday. "They failed to allow their principals to do a quality control review of classrooms right in that principals school and when you have all those violations you end up with the mess that you have in the Tucson Unified School District. "

Only reporters were allowed to question Huppenthal but Ethnic Studies supporters outside his office protested the superintendents decision.

"This is teaching students their ethnicity," Carlos Galindo said. "This is teaching Mexican-American students the relationship between Mexico and the United States and what they've suffered and what they've gone through there's nothing wrong with the truth."

Now to avoid losing millions of dollars in funding, TUSD has 60 days to convince the superintendent the district is in compliance or they have to prevail on appeal.

http://www.kgun9.com/story/14919219/tus ... tudies-law

You can not allow just ONE Ethnic studies for ONE particular Ethnic group anyways. You would have to allow all different ethnicities to have their own ethnic studies groups...

Actually there are several different ethnic studies classes at TUSD. The Mexican American Studies program is under fire as it promotes blatant RACISM and overthrow of the US government (among many other things).

Let me ask you this- The program teaches overthrow of the government because the government stole, occupied and oppressed the indigenous people of "Aztlan". How is this any different from what Maj Nidal Hasan was preaching before he murdered 13 people at FT Hood? Occupation and oppression in the middle east. It's the same propaganda. Is TUSD looking for the same results?

I attended one of the TUSD board meetings a few weeks ago. During the public comments session, a teacher read from the 3rd to 8th grade text portions that she found objectionable. Comment from the board was to reprimand the teacher for using foul language. It was EXTREMELY obvious that the Board didn't have a clue what was or wasn't being taught. Other comments were from teachers griping about the 3 year pay freeze and layoffs. Now looking at a 15 million dollar revenue loss the board still refuses to recognize the problem.