Az Gov decides kids shouldn't learn about other cultures

[Crossroads Inc.]

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Arizona gov. signs bill targeting ethnic studies


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AP – FILE - In this Monday, April 20, 2009 file photo, Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer listens to a question …
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By JONATHAN J. COOPER, Associated Press Writer – Wed May 12, 6:23 am ET
PHOENIX – Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has signed a bill targeting a school district's ethnic studies program, hours after a report by United Nations human rights experts condemned the measure.

State schools chief Tom Horne, who has pushed the bill for years, said he believes the Tucson school district's Mexican-American studies program teaches Latino students that they are oppressed by white people.
Public schools should not be encouraging students to resent a particular race, he said.
"It's just like the old South, and it's long past time that we prohibited it," Horne said.

Brewer's signature on the bill Tuesday comes less than a month after she signed the nation's toughest crackdown on illegal immigration — a move that ignited international backlash amid charges the measure would encourage racial profiling of Hispanics. The governor has said profiling will not be tolerated.

The measure signed Tuesday prohibits classes that advocate ethnic solidarity, that are designed primarily for students of a particular race or that promote resentment toward a certain ethnic group.

The Tucson Unified School District program offers specialized courses in African-American, Mexican-American and Native-American studies that focus on history and literature and include information about the influence of a particular ethnic group.
For example, in the Mexican-American Studies program, an American history course explores the role of Hispanics in the Vietnam War, and a literature course emphasizes Latino authors.

Horne, a Republican running for attorney general, said the program promotes "ethnic chauvinism" and racial resentment toward whites while segregating students by race. He's been trying to restrict it ever since he learned that Hispanic civil rights activist Dolores Huerta told students in 2006 that "Republicans hate Latinos."

District officials said the program doesn't promote resentment, and they believe it would comply with the new law.
The measure doesn't prohibit classes that teach about the history of a particular ethnic group, as long as the course is open to all students and doesn't promote ethnic solidarity or resentment.

About 1,500 students at six high schools are enrolled in the Tucson district's program. Elementary and middle school students also are exposed to the ethnic studies curriculum. The district is 56 percent Hispanic, with nearly 31,000 Latino students.
Sean Arce, director of the district's Mexican-American Studies program, said last month that students perform better in school if they see in the curriculum people who look like them.
"It's a highly engaging program that we have, and it's unfortunate that the state Legislature would go so far as to censor these classes," he said.

Six UN human rights experts released a statement earlier Tuesday saying all people have the right to learn about their own cultural and linguistic heritage, they said.
Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman didn't directly address the UN criticism, but said Brewer supports the bill's goal.
"The governor believes ... public school students should be taught to treat and value each other as individuals and not be taught to resent or hate other races or classes of people," Senseman said.
Arce could not immediately be reached after Brewer signed the bill late Tuesday.

Thats right! Lets just BAN studies of those damned dirty foreigners, THAT will make everyone good and american!

[Flagg]

But remember kids, Arizona is totally not racist.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Arizona is essentially a state which has been completely overtaken by virulent strain of American conservative populism which is at the forefront of the teabagging movement--a sort of hash of ideas which produced the Know-Nothings of the 19th century and which now is targeted at attempting violent solutions at a "problem" which only exists due to the direct policy of the US government to encourage immigration for economic purposes.

[Crossroads Inc.]

The thing is this isn't some sudden shift in Arizona politics.. The state has ALWAYS been this racist, pigheaded and backwards, the difference is our OLD governor Jane Napolatano, Basically Vetoed 9 out 10 bills that came out of the Capital. With her gone ((thanks a lot Obama...)) There is no longer any checks ot the Far Right controlled Senate and Congress, and they are free to pass whatever they want.

Like many other such states, Arizona "Looks" relatively moderate, so long as you still in the Heart of Phoenix its biggest city. outside that, much of the rest of the sate is virulently conservative.

[Stravo]

What we are seeing here is a governor, who I understand from some reports was appointed and not elected(?), who is in a political battle to placate the tea bagger movement and base of her party to win the upcoming election season.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

The thing is this isn't some sudden shift in Arizona politics.. The state has ALWAYS been this racist, pigheaded and backwards, the difference is our OLD governor Jane Napolatano, Basically Vetoed 9 out 10 bills that came out of the Capital. With her gone ((thanks a lot Obama...)) There is no longer any checks ot the Far Right controlled Senate and Congress, and they are free to pass whatever they want.

Like many other such states, Arizona "Looks" relatively moderate, so long as you still in the Heart of Phoenix its biggest city. outside that, much of the rest of the sate is virulently conservative.

I'd say the state is virulently conservative outside of Tucson. Phoenix keeps electing Sheriff Gulag, after all.

[Simon_Jester]

Uh... guys? Shouldn't the thread title read "other cultures" and not "other cutlers?"

[Crossroads Inc.]

Curse my 6th grade grammar! Even when using spell checker I still get it wrong!

[Vendetta]

Uh... guys? Shouldn't the thread title read "other cultures" and not "other cutlers?"

Probably, but from the way they're going I expect a ruling soon that anything other than knife, fork, and spoon are anti-American heresy.

[Alphawolf55]

The thing is this isn't some sudden shift in Arizona politics.. The state has ALWAYS been this racist, pigheaded and backwards, the difference is our OLD governor Jane Napolatano, Basically Vetoed 9 out 10 bills that came out of the Capital. With her gone ((thanks a lot Obama...)) There is no longer any checks ot the Far Right controlled Senate and Congress, and they are free to pass whatever they want.

Like many other such states, Arizona "Looks" relatively moderate, so long as you still in the Heart of Phoenix its biggest city. outside that, much of the rest of the sate is virulently conservative.

Then whats with the history of Barry Goldwater-like senators who while conservative would find this dumb.

[Crossroads Inc.]

HIstory? Barry is an anomaly as far as Senators go, someone who is given nothing but lip service these days in Arizona, Republicans here raising him up was this grate person without ever thinking about what he stood for. The only other Barry-like Senator from Az "Was" McCain, but he sold his soul somewhere around 2001 and has slid into right wing mania ever since.

Arizona has a history of Conservative, it just doesn't seem like it because most here aren't the hysterical Religious Conservatives much of the nation gets, so its not as noticeable. That doesn't mean Az Conservative are any less idiotic... They tend to be the "Don't tread on me! Protect our land from Outsiders! If its not American we don't want it!" style. Hence why we keep re-elective Sheriff Joe despite him being an embarrassment to the rest of the nation.

[Einzige]

The answer to that is quite simple: Barry Goldwater was not, in any sense, a modern conservative. He fucking hated social conservatives with a passion. I've little doubt that, if he were alive today, he'd be a Democrat along the lines of the DFC.

[Serafina]

With her gone ((thanks a lot Obama...))

Out of curiosity - what does Obama have to do with that?

Anyway, that sounds like something straight out of a neo-nazi agenda - i'm sure i have heard those arguments around here before. Of course with the difference that around here, they are a despised fringegroup with virtually no political power (with the exception of the odd lone representative here and there - not even one in a hundred).

[Alyrium Denryle]

The Tucson Unified School District program offers specialized courses in African-American, Mexican-American and Native-American studies that focus on history and literature and include information about the influence of a particular ethnic group.
For example, in the Mexican-American Studies program, an American history course explores the role of Hispanics in the Vietnam War, and a literature course emphasizes Latino authors.

I fail to see how these things do anything objectionable. Non-white authors and historical figures have been getting short-shrift pretty much forever. I can name very few native american or hispanic authors and only a few renowned african american ones and I am better educated and more roundly read then most.

The measure doesn't prohibit classes that teach about the history of a particular ethnic group, as long as the course is open to all students and doesn't promote ethnic solidarity or resentment.

In other words, so long as it whitewashes the trail of tears, smallpox blankets, jim crow, slavery...

I'd say the state is virulently conservative outside of Tucson. Phoenix keeps electing Sheriff Gulag, after all.

Actually no. Phoenix and Tempe vote pretty damn blue. It is Upper Crust Scottsdale, Mormon Fiefdoms like Gilbert and Mesa, and crime ridden Apache Junction and Maricopa County unincorporated lands that vote for the Gulags.

Then whats with the history of Barry Goldwater-like senators who while conservative would find this dumb.

No Offense to Chewies Brother but... Mormons and Evangelicals happened.

The only other Barry-like Senator from Az "Was" McCain, but he sold his soul somewhere around 2001 and has slid into right wing mania ever since.

No. He was always evil. He is an opportunist. He paid lip service to working with the left but really only ever joined them on unimportant issues he could afford to take a hit on. In this way he captured both the far right and center.

Arizona has a history of Conservative, it just doesn't seem like it because most here aren't the hysterical Religious Conservatives much of the nation gets, so its not as noticeable.

Oh they are there. They are just more quiet. They seem nice until they get to the voting booth.

Out of curiosity - what does Obama have to do with that?

She was appointed head of Homeland Security and her depute governor was put in charge of the state.

[Simon_Jester]

Out of curiosity - what does Obama have to do with that?

Obama took their governor and made her Secretary of Homeland Security. Which means that she had to quit her job as governor. Which means she is no longer available to slap down foolish and evil laws passed by their foolish and evil legislature.

[Tsyroc]

Like many other such states, Arizona "Looks" relatively moderate, so long as you still in the Heart of Phoenix its biggest city. outside that, much of the rest of the sate is virulently conservative.

Hey! I'll have you know that Pima county is probably less conservative overall than Maricopa. I think we were one of two counties to go to Obama in the last presidential election. Plus you still have Sheriff Joe.


I've thought for a while that education in high schools and lower around here has gotten a little too broad in it's offerings and that has negatively impacted the core basics. That being said. There's no way this law is anything less than someone being a right wing prick. If their concerns were the same as mine then they wouldn't be targeting "ethnic studies". I don't particularly like the idea of classes being so specific in high school but there's no reason there can't at least be an ethnic slant to what is being read in the mandatory English and literature classes. There's no reason why each generation has to keep reading the exact same books as the former. I know there were quite a few authors whose books I had to read that I wasn't all that impressed with. Maybe it's because they've become so much of the culture that we've all seen or read rip-off versions that are more entertaining or have more impact to us.

[Tsyroc]

I'd say the state is virulently conservative outside of Tucson. Phoenix keeps electing Sheriff Gulag, after all.

Not too long ago we had a Republican representative (Jim Kolbe) who everyone knew was gay. He still voted Republicanish even when it came to stuff like homosexual marriage. Apparently that wasn't enough for the current trend in Republicans and during his last term they tried running one of those dick head types against him in the primaries. (Which is why I registered Republican so I could vote against that sort of dick head early on). Kolbe won and was reelected but he retired after that term. The district he represented is currently represented by Gabriel Giffords (D) so for at least another term the voters there didn't want the bullshit. It'll be interesting to see if there's enough Obama backlash in that district this next election that it could hurt Giffords' chances at retaining her seat. Giffords might have got in on a bunch of Bush backlash so I'm not sure how strong her base is there. I think the previous election was pretty close.

Of course, after I actually registered with a political party I found out I was no longer in Kolbe's district. I'm in the one represented by Raul Grijalva (D). Tucson's only firmly entrenched Democrat representative.

[Duckie]

Raúl Grijalva is pretty awesomely not-like-the-rest-of-Arizona. As of the healthcare debate, he was one of only a handful (somewhere between 7 and 12) of democrats who had never voted against the democratic agenda ever.

[Lonestar]

Shoot, I'll be the asshole that says it: A separate "ethnic studies" course should not required to be taught in K-12. Any history of minorities in America should be taught in History class, not in a separate class.

Of course, as I read that article in the OP I can't help notice that:

The measure doesn't prohibit classes that teach about the history of a particular ethnic group, as long as the course is open to all students and doesn't promote ethnic solidarity or resentment.

So what the fuck is the problem?

[Oscar Wilde]

The measure doesn't prohibit classes that teach about the history of a particular ethnic group, as long as the course is open to all students and doesn't promote ethnic solidarity or resentment.

So what the fuck is the problem?

Because apparently the issue the guy who pushed the bill has is that it doesn't conform to the American standard of revising history to make America look less bad? If this were about the class teaching that America is, always has been, and always will be right we wouldn't be reading this.

[Lonestar]

Because apparently the issue the guy who pushed the bill has is that it doesn't conform to the American standard of revising history to make America look less bad? If this were about the class teaching that America is, always has been, and always will be right we wouldn't be reading this.

It isn't that either, and you know it. There is a perception that these "ethnic studies" classes are being presented to promote ethnic solidarity and resentment. That the measure includes a requirement that the course "is open to all students" makes me wonder what the hell was going on that someone felt a need to include that. This didn't occur in a vacuum. Somewhere a school district was doing something to limit access to ethnic studies classes and Latinos were leaving that class hating whitey.

This didn't come about because a school district was making sure their American History course was being open and honest about American History(Lies My Teacher Told Me has two chapters, back to back, about the invisibility of both racism and antiracism in American History texts) it came about because a school district was teaching a separate course that promoted ethnic solidarity. Possibly while doing something to prohibit non-minorities from going to those classes.

[Alyrium Denryle]

It isn't that either, and you know it. There is a perception that these "ethnic studies" classes are being presented to promote ethnic solidarity and resentment. That the measure includes a requirement that the course "is open to all students" makes me wonder what the hell was going on that someone felt a need to include that. This didn't occur in a vacuum. Somewhere a school district was doing something to limit access to ethnic studies classes and Latinos were leaving that class hating whitey.

Not really no. In Arizona if you do anything other than whitewash the history of the United States it gets perceived that way. This is the state that does not observe MLK day...

Shoot, I'll be the asshole that says it: A separate "ethnic studies" course should not required to be taught in K-12. Any history of minorities in America should be taught in History class, not in a separate class.

It is not required. It is elective.

[Losonti Tokash]

In related news, the City of Los Angeles has officially boycotted the State of Arizona over their new immigration law:

(Reuters) - Los Angeles officials on Wednesday approved a ban on future business with Arizona in protest against its crackdown on illegal immigrants, becoming the largest U.S. city to impose such an economic boycott.

U.S.

City Council members who voted 13-1 in favor of the punitive measure said it could affect about $8 million in contracts with Arizona, but Los Angeles must first decide which of those agreements it can break without triggering lawsuits.

Another $50 million in contracts will remain in place but the council directed city department heads to refrain from doing future business with Arizona or companies headquartered there whenever possible. The decision also suspends all city-related travel to the desert state.

"I cannot go to Arizona today without a passport," Councilman Ed Reyes said before the vote. "If I come across an officer who's had a bad day and feels the picture on my ID is not me, I could be summarily deported -- no questions asked. That is not American."

Arizona's new law, which comes into effect at end-July, does not allow police to demand identification from individuals without cause or to summarily deport them. But it does require officers, during a lawful contact, to check the immigration status of anyone who they reasonably suspect is in the country illegally.

A spokesman for Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who signed the bill on April 23, said "an economic boycott against innocent people just adds to the massive economic burden Arizonans have sustained for years due to the federal government's failure to secure our borders."

"It also appears that the L.A. City Council appears hopelessly out of touch with most of America on this issue," spokesman Paul Senseman said, as various polls have shown nationwide support for the state's enforcement of immigration laws.

Several other cities across the United States have considered resolutions to protest against the law or sought boycotts --among them San Francisco and Saint Paul, Minnesota.

A nationwide study by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press released on Wednesday found that 59 percent of adults approve of Arizona's new law, while 25 percent support President Barack Obama's immigration policy.

Obama supports a system allowing undocumented immigrants in good standing to pay a fine, learn English and become citizens. He also backs tightening border security and clamping down on employers that hire undocumented workers.

FEDERAL OVERHAUL A LONG SHOT

Arizona's new law has pushed the immigration debate into the political foreground and rebooted a drive by Obama and Senate Democrats to overhaul federal immigration laws.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and fellow Democrats introduced an outline to revamp the system on April 29. But they have not yet introduced legislation and passage of such a bill is seen as a long shot before November's congressional elections.

Senator Charles Schumer said Democrats were still waiting for a Republican to back their draft legislation, nearly two weeks after it was unveiled.

"You cannot pass an immigration bill unless you have bipartisan support," Schumer, a New York Democrat, told a conference call with conservative evangelical leaders.

"Right now we are unable to have a single Republican to come with us to the table to negotiate a bipartisan bill -- and we need somebody."

The Democrats' plan is based on an earlier outline drafted by Schumer and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. But Graham has complained that Congress is not yet ready to move on it.

It seeks bolstered border security and introduce a high-tech identification card for immigrant workers. Other steps include employer sanctions and a path to U.S. citizenship for many of the 10.8 million people in the country illegally.

(Additional reporting by Tim Gaynor in Phoenix; editing by Chris Wilson)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64B64S20100513

[Losonti Tokash]

Shoot, I'll be the asshole that says it: A separate "ethnic studies" course should not required to be taught in K-12. Any history of minorities in America should be taught in History class, not in a separate class.

Of course, as I read that article in the OP I can't help notice that:

The measure doesn't prohibit classes that teach about the history of a particular ethnic group, as long as the course is open to all students and doesn't promote ethnic solidarity or resentment.

So what the fuck is the problem?

Except it won't, and you know it. The best anyone will get is a small unit on slavery and maybe if you're lucky the curriculum will mention the Trail of Tears.

[Lonestar]

Not really no. In Arizona if you do anything other than whitewash the history of the United States it gets perceived that way. This is the state that does not observe MLK day...

So why the "open to all students" cavaet?

It is not required. It is elective.

yeah, I started to type up the response, scrolled up to look at the OP, and continued on with the "looks like it will be included anyway". My bad.

Except it won't, and you know it. The best anyone will get is a small unit on slavery and maybe if you're lucky the curriculum will mention the Trail of Tears.

The Problem with the mesaure! What the fuck is the problem with the measure? Why is making sure some electives don't promote "ethnic solidarity or resentment" actually BAD? Public schools are suppose to bring about greater integration, not build walls saying "Mexicans are awesome because of x and you should take pride in being part of a specific ethnic group."

What the Hell happened to "melting pot"?