Arizona Teachers Fight To Save "Dangerous" Hispanic Studies Program

If the thought of students learning -- in school! -- that the American Southwest once belonged to Mexico sends shivers down your spine, you have something in common with Tom Horne, Arizona School Superintendent. Well, and you'd also be in denial, since that's, uh, true.

In Tucson, Arizona, teachers and Tom Horne are locked in a battle over the district's Mexican-American studies program. A new Arizona law, which would go into effect at the end of the year, bans curriculum that would "promote the overthrow of the United States government ... promote resentment toward a race or class of people ... (or) advocate ethnic solidarity instead of treatment of pupils as individuals," CNN reports.

Horne has threatened to snatch away federal funding of Tucson's school district -- amounting to $3 million a month -- because of the district's "raza" studies program, now called Mexican-American studies. "Raza" means "the race" in Spanish. Horne's major problem with the program is the use of a textbook titled "Occupied America: A History of Chicanos" by a professor of Chicana/o Studies at California State University at Northridge, who is credited as one of the most highly-regarded scholars of Chicana/o history.

Among the dastardly effects attributed to the "raza" program are lowered dropout rates, fewer instances of discipline and increased grades among participants. The horror! Attending school, graduating, scoring better grades. Is this is the "government overthrow" school officials are worried about?

There's an ugly, partisan battle going on among adults in Arizona over immigration, the economy and Hispanic power, as covered by Change.org's Immigrant Rights blog. It's tragic that children are now targets of legislation designed to drum up votes and partisan support. Horne brags about ending ethnic studies prominently in his campaign ads for Arizona Attorney General, which he's running for this November. (This is also the guy who put out a press release (PDF) in 2009 complaining about the "worshipful tone" children were expected to have during a White House address broadcasted in the schools.)   

Eleven teachers sued Horne and the state board of education this week, arguing that this new law violates free speech and equal protection laws. Change.org will be following the story and updating you on the progress of the campaign. In the meantime, sign this petition telling Arizona's State Board of Education to keep ugly partisan politics out of the schools.  

Photo credit: YouTube