Arizona bans teaching courses that breed resentment of a race or class of people or advocate ethnic solidarity
Alyssa Hadley Dunn, a clinical assistant professor of urban teacher education in the College of Education at Georgia State University, sent me a note about a “teach-in” at GSU to make people aware of the ban on the teaching of ethnic studies in Tucson schools, a decision based on a controversial — and some say overreaching — new Arizona law.
I have spent the morning looking at the law, its origins and the public debate around its passage. I agree that the broad language of the law creates minefields for teachers. And I also suspect that the courts will be busy for several years dealing with the fallout from its four provisions.
The new Arizona law prohibits instruction that: a) promotes the overthrow of the United States Government; b) promotes resentment toward a race or class of people; c) is designed primarily for people of a particular ethnic group and d) advocates ethnic solidarity instead of treatment of pupils as individuals. Schools in violation risk losing state funding.
A group of teachers in Arizona has sought to overturn the law, saying in their motion: The prohibitions are too vague and broad and violate the first amendment rights of teachers, schools and students. Since every provision of the law violates the constitution, the motion calls for the law to be overturned in its entirety. It is fundamentally argued that this law is designed to limit the material and ideas allowed in the classroom and thus restrict the first amendment rights of teachers to teach and students to learn.
The law has now led the Tucson schools to ban a popular Mexican American Studies program begun in 1998. At the middle school level, the Mexican American Studies classes were electives and included literature, mathematics, Chicano studies and an independent study course. At the high school level, MAS classes were offered in literature, American history, American government/social justice, and Chicana/Art, and could be used to satisfy graduation requirements.
In a recent 37-page decision, an administrative law judge upheld the decision to end the Mexican American Studies program, ruling that it violated Arizona’s new law. For balance, you can read a critique of that legal ruling here.
Here is what Dr. Dunn sent me about the effort of Georgia educators to make people aware of what is happening:
Last week, the Tucson Unified School District, after a long legal battle with the state, decided to prohibit the teaching of ethnic studies, specifically Mexican American studies, in their public schools. The argument was that such courses encouraged divisiveness, not unity. Teachers were prohibited from teaching anything where “race, ethnicity, or oppression was a central theme.”
Events are still unfolding and the district asserts that books were not officially “banned,” but what we know for certain is that students watched as classroom books were confiscated during class, boxed up, and brought to a district storage facility. These confiscated items included award-winning Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, major contributions to the Chicano(a) studies movement, texts on critical race theory, and Rethinking Columbus by Rethinking Schools.
The issue is about more than censored books; through this ban, Tucson is also banning certain histories and pedagogies. We believe that classes like this often provide students with their only glimpse into the history of their people. Education about multiculturalism combats exactly the type of fear and divisiveness that they are spreading with the ban. Ethnic studies and multicultural education are about empowering students to recognize histories of power, privilege, and oppression and then acting in socially just ways to change their worlds. They are not meant to pit “one group against another,” but to demonstrate the interconnectedness of humanity without whitewashing history.
As educators in Georgia, we want to address the underlying issues at work in this legislation and inform local teachers, professors, students, families, legislators, and community members about the implications for Georgian education. We have planned “Teach, Think, Do: A Teach-in on Tucson” for Saturday from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. at Georgia State University’s College of Education (30 Pryor St., Atlanta).
At this free community event, participants will engage in dialogue about the legislation, hear from “virtual keynote guests” via webcast (including author Jeff Biggers and Tucson teachers and students), and work in small break-out sessions to plan curriculum, discuss the censored texts, and plan legislative action. Free lunch and materials will be provided. Event coordinators include faculty and students from Georgia State, Emory University, Clayton State, Kennesaw State, and Georgia Gwinnett; teachers from local districts; and members of community groups focused on education. More information can be found on our Facebook page.
Along with further dialogue about censorship, academic freedom, and multicultural education, we hope this first event can help ensure that Georgia schools remain safe and inclusive places for all students to learn in ways that honor their voices, share their histories, and encourage them to be change agents for social justice.
(For more information on the ban, check out these responses from writer Jeff Biggers, Rethinking Schools editor Bob Peterson, and Tucson teacher Curtis Acosta. Also see this coverage from Democracy Now and the resolution from the American Library Association.)
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
88 comments Add your comment
HS Public Teacher
January 30th, 2012
10:49 am
I agree that this is a very vauge law. If someone wanted to, they could prohibit the teaching of many courses and many subjects based on this law as written. It can go too far!
cris
January 30th, 2012
10:53 am
Germany in the early ’30’s anyone? Bad economy, blame it on “undesirables”, banish “lesser” cultures? Couldn’t happen here, could it?
say what?
January 30th, 2012
10:56 am
This law seems to have the -isms covered, racism, sexism, ageism, all bundled in one. anything not sanitized by politicians and their appointed officials will not be taught. Sadly this law encourages disrespect of persons and groups of people.
ProfessorMom
January 30th, 2012
11:05 am
There’s never been a bigger boost to book sales than banning a book. Go out and buy your copies today! Read them for yourselves and THEN decide what’s fair and reasonable. That’s is, of course, what learning is all about, no? The State has no right to censor literature and learning.
What’s amazing to me is that this the political RIGHT–the same group that wants to limit government interference in business–want to flex government in every other aspect of our lives. I just don’t get it!?!
Kara
January 30th, 2012
11:08 am
Very relevant, important, and timely for Georgians to work together to prevent such a censorship here! Especially in light of the movement by some in TN to censor any acknowledgment of the founding fathers and slavery! I am looking forward to this event on the 4th! Collectives versus individuals working together are necessary in this day and age of fear and accountability in education.
ProfessorMom
January 30th, 2012
11:09 am
A great article by one of the banned authors: http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/ict_sbc/on-becoming-one-of-tucsons-banned-authors
Arizona bans teaching courses that breed resentment of a race or class of people or advocate ethnic solidarity | Get Schooled | Undocumented Students | Scoop.it
January 30th, 2012
11:09 am
[...] background-position: 50% 0px; background-color:#222222; background-repeat : no-repeat; } blogs.ajc.com – Today, 11:09 [...]
Good Mother
January 30th, 2012
11:12 am
If we implemented this ban in Georgia we wouldn’t be able to teach any history at all.
For example, the provision that studies cannot be taught that ” promotes resentment toward a race or class of people”
History is all about the opression of people and each group of oppressed people will likely feel some resentment. Those groups include absolutely everyone except rich, white men. Women, Jews, blacks, the handicapped, Native Americans all have a history of being oppressed in the United States. If we do not teach anything that might make someone feel resentful, then we cannot teach any history at all.
I understand the problems that ethnic competition creates in a school but certainly banning history is not going to solve that. I mean, if we tried to erase the “bad” parts of history in Georgia, we might have teachers making up silly questions on tests such as “How many slaves does it take to pick 56 oranges off a tree…” oh wait….
skipper
January 30th, 2012
11:13 am
Ethnic studies…….basically courses wedged in by the left not to give a voice to minorities or the oppressed but in fact to serve as a sounding board for teachers to make folks feel guilty. (Most who write on this probably never had the “pleasure” of taking one of these classes!) Next thing you know, the Left-handed One-Eyed Ethiopian Co-Pilots Association will lodge a complaint that they have been mis-handled historically…………
bobmatthews
January 30th, 2012
11:29 am
Include all cultures in a broad class,include language history and foods ,politics should be as part of history!
Zari
January 30th, 2012
11:29 am
Thank you for writing about this critical issue! I am appalled and outraged that this legislation was passed in Arizona and very afraid that the same could happen here in Georgia. As a former middle school history teacher and current graduate student in education, I plan on attending the Teach In at GSU to find out more about how this happened and how I can take steps to prevent it from being repeated here.
Warrior Woman
January 30th, 2012
11:33 am
@skipper – You are so right!
Look at the material being taught, the cost of the class, and the number of students benefitting. According to the superintendent of public instruction, the course served less than 1% of TUSD’s student body. TUSD school board member Miguel Cuevas noted there was no evidence the course had any curriculum. Participants in the class had no improvement in education outcomes over those in standard social studies classes. There have been complaints that the course was biased, in conflict with historical fact, gave class credits for participating in protests, and taught reconquista. None of these are appropriate in a high school classroom.
Beverly Fraud
January 30th, 2012
11:34 am
From: Arizona Dept. of Education
To: Arizona educators
Please note,
The new curriculum, in its entirety will consist of students singing Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” from opening bell to closing bell, with breaks twice a day to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Ashley
January 30th, 2012
11:37 am
If we erase the bad parts of history , they would only question marks left. Every culture and diverse society has good parts and bad parts, if we learn about the horrors of history through the annuals of time, we can prevent them from re-occuring. It would appear the state of Arizona wants everyone to wear rose-colored glasses. I guess the state of Arizona would also ban parts of the Bible…..since violence and oppression happens in that book also. The gov’t trying to control the freedom of thought, sounds very totalitarian.
ProfessorMom
January 30th, 2012
11:37 am
Skipper…if you read more about the issue in AZ, it’s not the “left” that heads up ethnic studies courses. It’s most often members of those ethnic groups. Even the state dept. has a director of ethnic studies who is Chicana. So be careful when you make generalizations…you may just sound stupid.
WAR
January 30th, 2012
11:39 am
so arizona has decided to only teach math and science courses? if you read this law this could mean no US history, world history, American lit, world lit, and social studies. only in arizona where you can feel threatened by a president of your own country. im not surprised.
ProfessorMom
January 30th, 2012
11:39 am
Warrior Woman, the study that the AZ board member spoke about was conducted by a for-profit company that was hired to do the study by that same AZ board member. It was biased from the beginning.
Ashley
January 30th, 2012
11:40 am
I should have said , there would only be question marks left.
Pluto
January 30th, 2012
11:40 am
Dang and I thought diversity was gonna make us stronger. I am still having trouble understanding that one, someone help. Yep it looks like the lawyers are going to make a little money on this one alright. Does this mean Black History Month is history?
WAR
January 30th, 2012
11:41 am
warrior woman
please note that every course does not have a curriculum. just thought you should know that.
WAR
January 30th, 2012
11:43 am
skipper
who in the he!! are the Left-handed One-Eyed Ethiopian Co-Pilots Association and why are they allowed to fly planes?!?! everyone should file a complaint with the faa, tsa, and any other authority who can get these people out the cockpit.
WAR
January 30th, 2012
11:44 am
skipper
who are the Left-handed One-Eyed Ethiopian Co-Pilots Association and why are they allowed to fly planes?
WAR
January 30th, 2012
11:46 am
pluto
nope. black history month was not created by the left, democrats, or unions. its not a federal mandate either. be careful with this one and research the origin. trust me.
Mountain Man
January 30th, 2012
11:46 am
Now maybe they could pass a law saying it is wrong to profile people based on their skin color.
WAR
January 30th, 2012
11:48 am
i profile my neighbor every time she goes to the mailbox.
WAR
January 30th, 2012
11:56 am
i understand now why georgia ranks in the cess pool bottom of education. we are under the impression that if we dont talk about our differences and the effects our history has on us now, we will somehow live a kumbaya life void of color, racism, prejudice, discrimination… but its our differences and history of this great nation that makes us who we are. its the controversy in the books that create the needed dialogue to discuss things that embarrass us, unite us, and sometimes makes us. the dialogue usually begins in the home and carries over into the classroom. its not always done perfectly, but it must be done. thats what makes us Americans.
Old Time Educator
January 30th, 2012
12:14 pm
Way too vague! I can see it now – all physical education and health classes canceled because those in less than perfect shape are looked down upon by the jogging, vegan, low carb / low fat / no sugar population. In fact, as the law reads just about any class could have those that are “resented” or “looked down upon.” A lot of money will be wasted getting this over turned.
OTE
Atlanta Mom
January 30th, 2012
12:18 pm
The new Arizona law prohibits instruction that:
a) promotes the overthrow of the United States Government—sounds to me that I better not teach about the American revolution—some students might get the wrong idea
c) is designed primarily for people of a particular ethnic group –better not teach about the exploration of America—that’s all about white European history
skipper
January 30th, 2012
12:23 pm
@ProfessorMom
Nobody said anything about heading it up….I said wedging it in. Apparantly you are (or may be) a teacher. I come from a family of educators and you can cover history accurately without having total courses that are “taught” (if I may) from some strange perspective. Yes, I realize that in the past some things were tilted and wrong. However, having a class that often is TOTALLY a whitewashing of the good AND bad that has happened so that a particular group can over-emphasize their importance is probably why we as a nation are falling behind. Other nations (those pulling ahead of us) are concentrating on what it takes to get ahead.
Charles Mazaira Sotelo
January 30th, 2012
12:26 pm
Please understand and don’t underestimate what is happening in Arizona. Former School Superintendent Tome Horne was (and still is as Attorney General) part of the extreme right wing of the Republican Party that has a choke hold on Arizona Politics. Newly elected School Superintendent Mr. Huppenthal is a hand picked crony of Mr. Horne and will continue the assault on the Hispanic population, including our children attending Arizona schools as house bill 2281 banned ethnic studies from TUSD. Just look at the politics of former Senator Pearce (lost in recall election in 2011, first time that has happened in Arizona in 100 years) for his extreme far right politics and author of SB1070. I’m sure everybody has seen Governor Brewer finger pointing in President Obama’s face recently, she along with the rest of our extreme far right Legislators can’t seem to find enough ways to continue their attacks on the Hispanic community. They seem to always find a way to blame illegal immigration as their smoke and screen for their continued attacks but the majority of our Arizona population is seeing the light and we will, with the gratitude of the Nation, rid ourselves of these extremists come the next election. We need to unite not divide in these difficult times!
Not Blind
January 30th, 2012
12:27 pm
Should public schools be teaching race centric classes ? Something is wrong when the whole class is made up a mostly one ethnic group. Sounds to me that the Arizona law is addressing a real problem. It’s way too easy for someone with a bad agenda to take advantage of race based ‘courses’. You also need to be sure that ‘history’ books are fact based and not bias based.
Not Blind
January 30th, 2012
12:45 pm
@Sotelo- It will definitely be interesting to see how history books of the future deal with the country’s illegal alien debacle. Illegal immigration and the misapplied or misguided birthright citizenship clause have enabled the hispanic community to illicitly gain numbers and therefore political clout far beyond that which they would gained via legal means.
Pluto
January 30th, 2012
12:47 pm
@ CM Sotelo Glad to see you come from an objective and sound point of view. I don’t think you could have used extreme or far right or wingnuts anymore and kept your objectivity. I think ALL politicians have had their hands in the sausage making process which has resulted in the state of our education system we now face. Get off your high horse.
skipper
January 30th, 2012
12:52 pm
At Sotelo,
You don’t have to be a far-right hater to want LEGAL immigration! Mexico has tougher laws than us on immigration! Go through the normal processes, and quit trying to politically-correctly excuse bad behavior! Border States like Arizona of course catch the h#ll and will react……they are having to DIRECTLY deal with the problem that the feds have refused to do! You got any solutions except for using the hate-bait card as an excuse for illegal behaviour?
Ivan Cohen
January 30th, 2012
12:57 pm
History books: fact based and not bias based. Stop right there! Just who would happen to be providing these “facts”? Something is wrong when minorities be they Black, Latino or Asian have to acquire the mindset and values of the White Anglo-Saxon Protestants. Oh yeah, there they are in their respective neighborhoods, the Black, Latino and Asian “Dick and Jane”. See all of them have a dog named Spot. Arizona is definitely becoming known as a “trendsetter”. That designation used to belong to California.
To Not Blind from GM
January 30th, 2012
1:00 pm
To Not Blind you say “Should public schools be teaching race centric classes ? Something is wrong when the whole class is made up a mostly one ethnic group”
Consider this: I remember being in elementary school and learning State history. It was written completely from the perspective of the Europeans. The history of the state began when the Europeans settled or invaded (depends on your perspective) what is now the United States.
Even back then I wondered why they called the “Baton Rouge” Indians the quote “hostile red sticks.” Even as a fifth grader I thought well, of course, they’re hostile. Someone is coming over and hurting them and stealing from them.
If the history was written from the perspective of the native people of America the history would have started much earlier. My state history “began” when Europeans settled/invaded North America. That’s not accurate. There were people here before the Europeans.
History texts often have a particular view point — the European view point, which means, white man history.
By contrast, in college we had humanities electives known as “North American Indians” which is told from the view point of the North American Indian. Their story is different and doesn’t “start” when the Europeans settled/invaded North America.
This kind of point of view is also evident even in shows about animals. Listen carefully as the story of a particular animal is often told from the view point of the male animal. You’ll often hear the narrator say things like “In order to attract a mate the male peacock will spread his feathers to demonstrate how beautiful he is and so on…
You rarely ever hear the story from the female point of view such as “the pea hen chooses the best mate so that her chicks have the best chance for survival. She looks at the male with the prettiest feathers…and so on.
Most history is taught from the Western European male point of view. We need history and literature taught from other points of view to promote understanding and tolerance and harmony. Banning a book or banning a study does not help to promote ethnic and racial harmony. It has the opposite effect. We have to live together and we have to interact. We might has well do it peacefully and happily or we’ll just end up like those in the Middle East, always at war killing one another.
Inman Park Boy
January 30th, 2012
1:03 pm
Does anyone really suppose that a teacher’s personal first amendment free speech rights allow him/her to say ANYTHING they may wish in a classroom? What utter nonesense.
Dumb and Dumber
January 30th, 2012
1:05 pm
This way Arizona school-children cannot be taught about their own legislature’s anti-Mexican immigration laws. Sure wouldn’t want the “little pitchers” learning about that…they might not take the legislature too seriously…..
Not Blind
January 30th, 2012
1:07 pm
Ivan, Public schools should not have a variety of history courses that are aimed at different races. Every student should get the same course regardless of their race/ethniticity. If any student wants to delve into a more deeper [ or more race centric ] study of history they should be doing it on their own time. Too many authors, educators, pundits or whoever want to revise history to suit their own agendas.
skipper
January 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
Well, Ivan, if they named the dog Rodriguez they’d be branded racist hate-mongers. The same as if it was Rashaad or Ling-Ling. Those are hard facts! “Yo quiero Taco-Bell” even got trashed. Most illegal hispanics have an accent or do not speak English much at all (I said illegals) so I suppose this was a blow to them? The white community don’t rise up against stereotyping by Larry the Cable Guy or Jeff Foxworthy; just go with it and get a life. If someone speaks ghetto, its racist; Hispanic accent racist/biased…. what are Dick and Jane to do? If they try your suggestion the author will be sued! If we quit getting so prickly about it and keep things legal, they’ll work out!
Not Blind
January 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
Dumb, kids get far too much exposure to bias from their families they should not be getting it from their school teachers or the curriculum.
misterbill
January 30th, 2012
1:25 pm
“We believe that classes like this often provide students with their only glimpse into the history of their people. ”
Gee, I don’t see classes that teach the history of the Irish Rebellion or Italian or French history that lock the children in to an educational; environment that encourages isolation from American citizens.
I studied American history in my day. My parents did also and they were the children of immigrants. Their parents came here legally via Ellis Island and my grandfather had enough proficiency in the English language to become a part of America almost instantly.
No one set up classes in Italian history, so my aunts and uncles were not , educationally, segregated from Americans students. Their country and their heritage did not get taught to them at the expense of American students and citizens.
The undocumented students are here illegally-they need to go. The costs they impose upon Americans is significant. There are many teachers who look at them and want to , because of the generous nature of teachers, do everything for them.
That “everything” you give the undocumented comes from the pool of everything that belongs to Americans and you short change the American students. If you go to Mexico, you will not find the schools setting up special classes to teach the history of foreign countries for those who do not come from Mexico.
In sum, you take American money from hard pressed economic times and spend it in helping children to grow up to be reconquistas.
milootoole
January 30th, 2012
1:32 pm
Ivan-
Do you suppose that in Russia (or any other country, for that matter), they have teachers who extol the customs of foreign countries? Do you suppose any country in the world teaches the history of other countries as a daily function of the students in their schools?
I suppose in Armenia , they have a grand time teaching Turkish students Turkish culture.
You exhibit a global attitude.
skipper
January 30th, 2012
1:33 pm
@misterbill;
Well said!
milootoole
January 30th, 2012
1:43 pm
Maureen,
I usually agree with you and find you to be an open minded person o matters educational. In this issue, I completely disagree. There are many things in the article that I challenge. I will pick one:
“Education about multiculturalism combats exactly the type of fear and divisiveness that they are spreading with the ban.”
Multi-culturism is divisive. It defeats love of country, invites people to isolate themselves from others and destroys the union of American spirit. IT IS NOT THE JOB OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TO TEACH MULTI-CULTURISM. They should teach the three “R”s.
Further, the schools have challenged religious freedom for American children, yet turn around and try to elevate multi-culturism as a lofty goal. Why is teaching some other countries culture in a public school any different from teaching Islam, Bahia, Mormon or Catholicism??
Keep the political aspirations out of our children’s classrooms and improve their readin’ riting, and ‘rithmetic. We will have a better educated group of children when they complete elhi.
Nat Turner
January 30th, 2012
1:56 pm
And Skipper, history is always taught from a white perspective. I took history classes, and the only time that blacks were brought up was during slavery and in the 1960s. Martin Luther King being one of them. The rest of the time, it was about white people.
It must be nice to live in a world where you only get uncomfortable when another race is taught about their contributions to the building of the United States. As a matter of fact, the only time the Chinese were mentioned was when they came to build the railroads in the West. That was maybe a paragraph or two.
Multiculturalism and these ideas will never take off. Some white person will always state that they are being slighted because the class is taking too much time talking about latino history or too much time talking about blacks.
practicalperson
January 30th, 2012
2:10 pm
“We believe that classes like this often provide students with their only glimpse into the history of their people. ”
Gee, I don’t see classes that teach the history of the Irish Rebellion or Italian or French history that lock the children in to an educational; environment that encourages isolation from American citizens.
I studied American history in my day. My parents did also and they were the children of immigrants. Their parents came here legally via Ellis Island and my grandfather had enough proficiency in the English language to become a part of America almost instantly.
No one set up classes in Italian history, so my aunts and uncles were not , educationally, segregated from Americans students. Their country and their heritage did not get taught to them at the expense of American students and citizens.
The undocumented students are here illegally-they need to go. The costs they impose upon Americans is significant. There are many teachers who look at them and want to , because of the generous nature of teachers, do everything for them.
That “everything” you give the undocumented comes from the pool of everything that belongs to Americans and you short change the American students. If you go to Mexico, you will not find the schools setting up special classes to teach the history of foreign countries for those who do not come from Mexico.
In sum, you take American money from hard pressed economic times and spend it in helping children to grow up to be reconquistas.
practicalperson
January 30th, 2012
2:11 pm
Sorry, I meant to only copy one sentence from that other post____ from MisterBill..
I wound up making a duplicate…
Professor and Mom
January 30th, 2012
2:17 pm
milootoole, I’ve taught lots of kids about the value of the U.S. BECAUSE it IS multi-cultural. And I’ve taught about the value of different ethnic, religious, and demographic groups BECAUSE they are human. Those the kinds of understandings are essential to good character, respect for others, and a democratic nation. That’s what multi-cultural education is all about.
I don’t think it’s possible to teach “readin’ riting, and ‘rithmetic” (as you put it) in a vacuum. Kids are smart. They’ll quickly ask questions like, reading what? (why can’t we read banned books?) writing for whom? (why can’t we write about that group of people?). Arizona is limiting children’s opportunity to engage in these critical discussions.
If we are preparing children to live in our country, we better prepare them to live with the people of our country–ALL of them! Not just the powerful elite that currently write the textbooks and own the testing corporations! I’m trying to teach kids to be critical consumers of learning through their reading, writing, and math–not just consumers…
St Simons - codewords are the new black
January 30th, 2012
2:20 pm
1) can’t teach socialism to the minorities – got it – clever disguise batman
misterbill
January 30th, 2012
2:44 pm
Nat Turner-
I attended a Christian school for elhi. I learned about Crispus Attucks, Nat Turner, Frederick Douglass, George Washington Carver and many others. It was many years ago and a lot is leaving my mind. What is leaving is not, as you suggest, based on being taught by a white perspective. Rather it is an age issue and I forget just as much about white people as I do black.people.
Nat Turner’s solution to the horror of slavery was to kill white people. reasonable? I think not. White people’s reaction to his uprising–reasonable ?? I think not.
You are missing a major point. You are conflating slavery with illegal immigration and the lowering of national values. You are saying that in a world and a time when black people represented less than 1% of the population that the historians of that era were prejudiced. That is a very narrow and incorrect opinion.
Today , we have black history month. We have a hero and a holiday for a black man, Martin Luther King. These holidays were created because today’s white man, white teacher, white historian, majority is not the person of the 1600, 1700 1800 era.
We show love and tolerance. Yes, there are still people of prejudice, I dare say the percentage is equal in the black community as well as the white.
If you went to China. would you expect that most of their history books were about Asians?? Of course one would. Black history is being written now. The behavior, actions and history of our black citizenry is being noted today and will be in the history books of tomorrow. Why?? because of white people and black people and the concept of the republic if the USA.
If you want to go back and rewrite history–then go ahead. But, you had better be correct if you want to have it taught in America’s schools or you will just be another Howard Zinn.
History is what happened. It is biased by who saw it and how they saw it and , finally, how they wrote it. The majority of historical happenings in America were accomplished in the past by white Americans. The country has changed and today we have man and women like Thomas Sowell, Walter Williams, Allen West and many more. We have black historians. We have about 38 million black people.The historians will write about what is happening today and with the growth of that population the good works, (and bad), done by black people will be in the history books.
You, like many others, look back in anger at how things were , in the past.. You do not look at all the white folks who showed love and worked hard alongside our fellow black Americans to arrive at where we are today. you do not look at how things keep on getting better.
Dr No aka Mr Sunshine
January 30th, 2012
2:46 pm
This is pure craziness that haa gone off the rails.
Pluto
January 30th, 2012
3:04 pm
I am amused when teachers start bolstering their case for the precedence of diversification/multiculturalism in our schools. Our job is to help these kids develop a set of life skills that will enable them to take advantage of opportunities that avail themselves and be productive citizens. I am in my 50’s and grew in the dreaded bigoted South where I had black, chicano, phillipino and you name it friends. Let’s get back to teaching substance and quit focusing on things we have little control or is that what it’s all about; control?
javis
January 30th, 2012
3:12 pm
Censorship of any kind is wrong.
Arizona is Texas without the freedom.
Not Blind
January 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
Those kids in Arizona are free to read any book they want. The ‘banned’ books are probably available in their county library and are surely available for purchase at a book store. All people young and old should make some effort to read about the history of our country’s peoples.
Teacher Reader
January 30th, 2012
3:28 pm
The class that sparked this legislation, was ANTI-AMERICAN. The course taught students that America was the bad guy. This type of course does not belong in our public schools.
Currently our public schools aren’t teaching real American History, it’s watered down, changed, and many important parts and people are left out.
BlondeHoney
January 30th, 2012
3:31 pm
Hmmmm seems that in this global economy we would want our children to learn all they can about people of other cultures/countries in order to better understand how to do business with them.
Mountain Man
January 30th, 2012
3:31 pm
I think also they meant “except for latinos.”
jarvis
January 30th, 2012
3:41 pm
Anti-American literature has as much of a place in school as pro-American, aye camrade.
You teach all sides of an issue and let young people decide for themselves.
skipper
January 30th, 2012
3:58 pm
@jarvis
Provided that there ARE two sides, and not some feel-good altered version that deems itself relevant as one of the sides….
jarvis
January 30th, 2012
4:01 pm
Exactly skipper….that’d be like the ommission of the Japanese Americans locked up during WWII, slavery, or the theft of Native Lands.
Our country has done a lot of great stuff in our time, but some crappy stuff as well. All should be taught, and I’m pleased to say that all was taught in my public school.
Teacher Reader wants nothing “ANTI-AMERICAN” taught in schools. That’s revisionist and ridiculous.
Nat Turner
January 30th, 2012
4:03 pm
Less than 1%? At one point, the black population, due to slavery, outnumbered the number of white Americans. And remember that not all of them were slaves.
By the way, all of that education of history took place outside of the classroom. I was inquisitive, and did my own research since the history books and my teachers didn’t feel that those contributions were important.
I can still remember the one or two paragraphs about Booker T. Washington, the Harlem Renaissance, etc.
The history books have not changed since you say history is happening all around us. And keep in mind that some people (as referenced on this blog) have a problem with Black History Month. The questions come up every year if it is relevant, and why do black people deserve a month devoted to their history (not ours but their. even though it is the shortest month of the year).
Ron F.
January 30th, 2012
4:13 pm
Children, children….when you finish the name-calling and sniping about what should or shouldn’t be taught in American schools, please recall the real issue here. The law is evidently vague enough that it will, in some way, stop the teaching of any history whatsoever. Even good old U.S. History classes would have to leave out huge chunks of information. Compliance with this law is a joke, unless you are willing to accept the clear fact that it is aimed at any even seemingly ethnic studies course. In Georgia that would end the Bible as Literature class because it’s an ethic study of the early Jewish people and later Christians.
Tony
January 30th, 2012
4:27 pm
The Arizona law is more of an attempt to cleanse public schools of certain viewpoints rather than prevent hostility towards a race or group. You would think with the push for our students to become more competitive globally, we would also want them to be knowledgeable of other cultures in the world. School systems in Arizona have locked up books that are “not approved” and have placed restrictions upon teachers that are broad and vague regarding curriculum matters. Most people call this censorship and censorship is not an American value.
Scott
January 30th, 2012
4:34 pm
So I understand general concerns about censorship and academic freedom and vague regulations. But what puzzles me who would ever want to do any of these things in a classroom?
a) promotes the overthrow of the United States Government – hard to justify a teacher doing that
b) promotes resentment toward a race or class of people – doesn’t say you can’t discuss past examples of resentment, just says you can’t promote it… though what does “promote” mean?
c) is designed primarily for people of a particular ethnic group – all students should learn the same basic curriculum so I don’t see the need for that
d) advocates ethnic solidarity instead of treatment of pupils as individuals – again why would you treat ethnic groups differently in a classroom setting?
Except for the vagueness of “promote” and even “resentment” in part b, and that vagueness is indeed scary, I don’t really see much to object to. For those feeling that c and d are important, those needs can be addressed at home or after school without tax dollars.
So if the vagueness was removed so that teachers were at ease discussing past examples of class or racial resentment, would there still be an outcry against this law?
jarvis
January 30th, 2012
4:55 pm
@Scott, I’m mostly upset because this new law makes the distribution of my new textbook illegal: “How to Win Friends, and Overthrow the U.S. Government”.
It’s so hard to make a living these days as a friendly anarchist.
Dragonlady
January 30th, 2012
5:07 pm
I think what most teachers are concerned about here is the teaching of history and the teaching of literature. As a literature teacher, how do I deal with the novels Huck Finn (tells some pretty horrible things about slavery), The Scarlet Letter (deeply criticizes Puritanism as well as exposes difficulties women had to face in the past), not to mention the writings of James Baldwinm William Faulkner, and Frederick Douglass, none of whom minced any words in describing racism, if I am prohibited from teaching anything which promotes resentment toward a race or class of people?
Current history addresses a good deal of overthrowing of governments. Would you not be allowed to discuss current events?
Those of us who deal with such issues are afraid legislators and even school boards might possibly go overboard when given leeway by such a law.
misterbill
January 30th, 2012
5:16 pm
Nat,
I stand corrected on the population of black people in older days. I stick with all my other statements. However they did not outnumber whites in total population. In 1790 there were approx. 760,000 black people and 4,000,000 whites. The outnumbering comes from certain states.
As to some people resenting Black History month , there are some black people who believe that whites and their history are wrong and express their dislike and prejudice against white folks on this blog. I am not sure of the benefit of Black History Month, but since it makes a lot of our citizens feel better, then I am for it.
Let us count the number of white people who died to stop slavery. Let us separate them into white and black, although, to me, that is not necessary because they all fought for freedom from slavery. So, I guess they are meaningless, those heroes of old who fought for the cause of liberty.
I wonder if any of them wrote history books? Too bad, white people should not be allowed to write history.
You have taken an issue about education and turned into a racial debate. Since I am happy with folks I meet of any color, I guess, I will say I lose this debate to you. I must add though that you bring division on a racial basis to the education argument.
As to Bla
The history books have changed and radically since my days in school. Please review Howard Zinn and see how his books were adopted in many school districts.
Not Blind
January 30th, 2012
5:33 pm
Dragonlady, If the lesson is slavery and you teach it to a mixed class then there shouldn’t be resentment to things done more than a century ago. If you teach a slavery class and restrict the class to only black pupils then maybe the feelings of resentment could occur [ or even be encouraged by a teacher with an agenda ].
Discussing the overthrow of governments is different than encouraging the overthrow of our own govenment.
I actually think that students of all colors need to be well educated in the crimes of our history. The continual misdeeds done to native Americans vis a vis treaties and reservations. The story of the Cherokee’s in north GA is a story of staggering presidential misdeeds. The whole slavery issue is a huge negative for our country a century and a half after it was abolished.
Why do all kids need to be learning these and more ? One lesson is to have a healthy distrust of the government. Another is to have a healthy distrust of our “captains of industry”. Both are capable of running roughshod over whole peoples.
misterbill
January 30th, 2012
5:40 pm
jarvis
It appears to me that only one side is being taught. as you say, the truth, the whole truth should be taught. The sanitized version today, is that our forefathers were the evil perpetrators and everyone else was a victim. Again, as you posted, some true, some not.
Teachers tell the story, the whole story!!!
QE3
January 30th, 2012
5:59 pm
My partner and I are both longstanding leftists; we are over-educated members of the elite; we have degrees from fancy institutions up the wazoo…..and there is one thing
Identity politics are the worst thing to ever happen to this country.
To quote Audre Lord from Sister Outsider, “The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house”. We need to move past this stuff!
As long as people are obsessed with the master’s categories (such as race), and can only perceive themselves through the master’s lens, they are locked in their own minds and cannot be free.
Prof
January 30th, 2012
6:14 pm
@ Sr. Sotelo, Jan. 30, 12:26 pm. My apologies…..Georgia is not that unlike Arizona in many regards, although its racial dynamics are somewhat different.
And just a reminder to my fellow Georgians: Latinos are an ethnic group NOT a racial group, and have been defined as such by the Federal Census Bureau for more than 10 years. There are white Latinos, black Latinos, Native Latinos….and I guess Asian Latinos, though I’ve never met any.
Say What?
January 30th, 2012
6:28 pm
yap
WAR
January 30th, 2012
6:32 pm
It b awl goot…YOW!!
Nat Turner
January 30th, 2012
7:20 pm
a) promotes the overthrow of the United States Government – hard to justify a teacher doing that
So how do you feel about when the Civil War is taught? It promoted Southerners to stand up for their rights, and to secede from the Union.
Let us count the number of white people who died to stop slavery. Let us separate them into white and black, although, to me, that is not necessary because they all fought for freedom from slavery. So, I guess they are meaningless, those heroes of old who fought for the cause of liberty….
And let’s talk about the number of white people who died protecting that very institution of slavery.
I do agree with the history being taught as victims.
Prof
January 30th, 2012
8:00 pm
And another reminder. History is always written by the victor, not the vanquished. And no historical event can be neutrally related…. it is always from a point of view. At most, one can try to recognize that one HAS a point of view.
Whiteness Studies, about 20 years old, involves the study of how being a member of this race affects the way one sees things– so that although being white seems so transparent, the way things really are, it’s just a racial perspective like any other. I do wish somehow that this could be taught in K-12 schools, whose white students need it perhaps more than its other students.
Lee
January 30th, 2012
8:11 pm
In case no one is paying attention, there is a so-called “reconquista” movement where certain Mexicans want to take over the Southwestern United States and bring it back into Mexico. I guess they feel they’ve done such a good job with Mexico, they should do the same for the US.
I mean, bankrupting hospitals and schools, overcrowding jails, and lowering the standard of living deserves a little classtime, donchathink? Oh wait, THAT isn’t on the curriculum.
Arizona bans teaching courses that breed resentment of a race or class of … – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | NAINTELX
January 30th, 2012
8:15 pm
[...] more here: Arizona bans teaching courses that breed resentment of a race or class of … – Atlanta Jo… Tagged with: archives • classifieds • entertainment • facebook • georgia [...]
catlady
January 30th, 2012
9:39 pm
So I guess none of Newt’s classes would be allowed?
misterbill
January 30th, 2012
10:01 pm
“I do agree with the history being taught as victims.”
Then wonder why the country stops growing, why the attitudes do not keep improving. Thanks for encouraging me and people like me to keep fighting for equal rights for all as you debase and dismiss our efforts. I guess , in your case, wanting to be a victim, no argument, no proof before your eyes, will ever change you.
You and, you alone, feel you are the judge of what is right..
Well, good luck with that.
OTOH
January 30th, 2012
11:39 pm
This law is, as so many are these days, unconstitutional and too vague to be enforced equally. It’s another Big Gov’t sledge hammer reaction to a minor stupid local action.
I have to laugh at two things in the press release though. Confiscated? The school that owned the books gathered the books and put them in storage. No gov’t official took the books away from their legal owner. The other is Math as part of the Mexican American Studies as if Math is culturally based.
Ms. Boghosyan
January 31st, 2012
12:27 am
In Armenia there are no Turkish students because they all come to America for FREE education, so the comment about “in Armenia they have a grand time teaching Turkish culture to Turkish students” would be incorrect.
And what did that have to do with the article and ethnic studies?
Perhaps you are thinking of the Turkish charter Schools ran by followers of Turkish Imam Fethullah Gulen. They openly teach Turkish culture, language, etc, to American students in Arizona (where ethnic studies was banned – at least against Hispanic Americans)
In Turkey, they teach Turkish nationalism to all their students and are very controlling about the minority people: Greeks, Syriacs, Kurds, Armenians, Jewish being taught their own language or culture.
At least in Armenia, Armenian students are taught the history of the Republic of Turkey(ROT) est. 1923 and about it’s culture – in the context of how Armenians built ROT, including many of the historical treasures like the Topaki palace. Yes, we learn Turkish Culture, French Culture, Asian Culture, Greek Culture, etc.,
ohohmrbill
January 31st, 2012
1:55 am
Weather you are for against the Ethnic Studies program I would like to propose this question about what really motivates Tom Horne. Tom Horne personally attacked teachers with accents in the school districts. Yet he left the charter schools alone and never ever looked at them. A charter school is a public school and is not a private school. They are 100% financed by you the tax payer. They all get paid the same way as TUSD or any other school district. They are held to the same standards and bound by the same laws as any traditional public school. They are not immune to any of the laws.
Yet the Sonoran Science Academy school chain has an over abundance of foreign teachers on H1-B visas (They claim they cannot find qualified teachers in Az or even in the USA for that matter) who have thick accents or cannot even speak English at all. The schools heavily push Turkish Nationalism on American children, Turkish culture, Turkish Language, Turkish dancing and even offered a Turkish Character class. (Is having Turkish Character better than any other nationality?) The schools are affiliated and inspired with a known religious persona. Cult Leader Imam and self proclaimed prophet Mohammad Fethullah Gulen. Cult leader Gulen even told his followers to sue any one who opposes them in there mission to promote Turkishness. So what is Tom’s real motivation to attack this group and leave this other group alone? Tom Horne’s office refuses to comment. Come to find out this group of Turkish teachers and Turkish non profits donated money to Tom’s campaigne So it doesn’t matter weather you are for or against ethnic studies the question is what makes Sonoran Science immune to the law?
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-243407-gulen-smear-campaign-under-way-against-people-who-promote-turkish-culture-worldwide.html
These are your American kids singing and dancing under the Islamic flag of Turkey. Those who are against the MAS program, then if these kids were wearing ponchos and sombreros you would be flipping cart wheels. Those who are for the MAS you still have to ask yourselves if given choice which flag do you want your child to stand under?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4fZ4Mq6xik&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byyk7QSkEZA&feature=related
They also have for the last ten years been proselytizing the students, the staff members parents and levels of the community that Turkey (according to there mission and to Gulen) is a place of equality, tolerance , peace and love. They also told parents that their children are being taught by scholars and that Turkey is number one in the world when it comes to science and math when in fact they are at the bottom of the list when it comes to the world rankings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oCZaLqg3oo Feel free to share this information and to hold our politicians accountable !! Ask as many journalists to investigate and to write about this. Ask Pedicone and Horne what is there stance on this? They have yet to make a public statement.
ohohmrbill
January 31st, 2012
2:00 am
So why does Sonoran Science Academy get a free pass?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oCZaLqg3oo
Inman Park Boy
January 31st, 2012
8:30 am
Wouldn’t traditional civil rights groups see this as a good thing??? Isn’t race/ethnicity irrelevant to education/social life?
Nat Turner
January 31st, 2012
9:34 am
Thanks for encouraging me and people like me to keep fighting for equal rights for all as you debase and dismiss our efforts. I guess , in your case, wanting to be a victim, no argument, no proof before your eyes, will ever change you.
You and, you alone, feel you are the judge of what is right..
Well, good luck with that.
What are you talking about? Nobody said anything about me being a victim. I agreed with you that history is being taught with certain groups being victims.
Geez, now who is the victim? You are not fighting for equal rights, you just want to whitewash history and not have people recognize the good and the bad of all the ethnic groups throughout history.
Freedom Education
January 31st, 2012
12:33 pm
It appears most of you did not read the decision. There was evidence of activism (getting kids to protest and overthrow the government), racism and hate (of white people and America), and lies (Arizona was stolen from Mexico). People… take the time to read and investigate before commenting.
ohohmrbill
January 31st, 2012
11:57 pm
So why is everyone ignoring the big 1000lbs. Gorilla in the corner of the room?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oCZaLqg3oo
When it comes to charter schools Sonoran Science academy is grossly disproportionate when it comes to segregation and racial equality. It is a fact that is known amongst teachers and parents that SSA does cream students that my affect the overall outside appearances of the school and grade averages. Evidence of this can be found by teachers and parents who left comments in past articles of there schools.
The school even goes on to believe certain stereo types of Asian kids are better at math and science. We have had reports from ex-teachers that the Turkish often times admonishes Hispanic students for speaking Spanish while those foreign students are encouraged to speak Russian and Turkish in Math class. Some of these reports from the Phoenix and Tucson area include telling Hispanic students that if they do not like so much to go back to Mexico.
Ethnicity This School State Average
White 75% 45%
Hispanic 16% 41%
Asian 5% 3%
Black 3% 6%
Unspecified 1% n/a
The Sonoran Science Academy is also affiliated to the cult of Fethullah Gulen. The Today’s Zaman which is Fethullah Gulen’s mouthpiece to his followers often times uses racially charged epitaphs towards whites and to those who speak out against his schools or criticizes there cult leader Gulen and to cause and or promote discord amongst races and classes within the community
http://www.greatschools.org/cgi-bin/az/other/2741?cpn=20120129MSS#students
http://www.todayszaman.com/newsDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=253266
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-265400-opinion-are-you-going-to-pennsylvania.html