This Whole Ethnic Studies Ban in Arizona...

[Anonymous]

Is the type of class they are talking about similar to the Chinese and Spanish immersion programs around this area? Or is it something different? I can't imagine there are truly any classes out there "teaching hate" or to "overthrow America." ??

[Anonymous]

Link please. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Link please. Thank you.

Sorry, it was all over the news last night.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37131.html

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/may/12/nation/la-na-ethnic-studies-20100512

[Anonymous]

It goes back to an incident in which Latina activist Dolores Huerta told school children in an AZ HS that "Republicans hate Latinos". I have actually seen her speak and she does utter ridiculous statements like that (I saw her speaking a few years back to public school elementary kids here in DC talking about how they are victimized by police brutality etc., Bush was evil blah blah--just rolling off the tongue when she was supposed to be reading them a picture book about Cesar Chavez). I don't support banning any programming, but putting it under review when trollop like this is dished out sure sounds like a good idea to me. In a nutshell, Arizonans sound fed-up. I don't blame them. Jan Brewer for president!

http://www.soundpolitics.com/archives/007852.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It goes back to an incident in which Latina activist Dolores Huerta told school children in an AZ HS that "Republicans hate Latinos". I have actually seen her speak and she does utter ridiculous statements like that (I saw her speaking a few years back to public school elementary kids here in DC talking about how they are victimized by police brutality etc., Bush was evil blah blah--just rolling off the tongue when she was supposed to be reading them a picture book about Cesar Chavez). I don't support banning any programming, but putting it under review when trollop like this is dished out sure sounds like a good idea to me. In a nutshell, Arizonans sound fed-up. I don't blame them. Jan Brewer for president!

http://www.soundpolitics.com/archives/007852.html

Yes, they are. And they are quite obviously reacting solely out of emotion, and have thrown any attempt at good policy making out the window.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is the type of class they are talking about similar to the Chinese and Spanish immersion programs around this area? Or is it something different? I can't imagine there are truly any classes out there "teaching hate" or to "overthrow America." ??

I think they are probably more like the African American Studies or Women's Studies programs at local universities, instituted to fill in the gaps in history (aka White Male Studies) courses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It goes back to an incident in which Latina activist Dolores Huerta told school children in an AZ HS that "Republicans hate Latinos". I have actually seen her speak and she does utter ridiculous statements like that (I saw her speaking a few years back to public school elementary kids here in DC talking about how they are victimized by police brutality etc., Bush was evil blah blah--just rolling off the tongue when she was supposed to be reading them a picture book about Cesar Chavez). I don't support banning any programming, but putting it under review when trollop like this is dished out sure sounds like a good idea to me. In a nutshell, Arizonans sound fed-up. I don't blame them. Jan Brewer for president!

http://www.soundpolitics.com/archives/007852.html

It's ridiculous to cancel a program based on the statements of a single activist. Do what anyone else would do, which is not to bring her back.

[Anonymous]

I agree itS overkill , but I very much doubt it's on account of a single activist. At the DC school where I witnessed- adults airing bias to kids was pretty much the norm. The sight of dc elementary schoolers chanting down with bush at the end of the huerta talk might be a small example of what people are tired of their public ed dollars paying for. Personally, it's not the views per se I object to but the shameless brainwashing. Object to same from right or any shade of view. I think the pendulum has swung in az and there are some shots being fires across the bow. The truth ( ie rational policy) is probably somewhere in the middle - but I have to say that I am not exactly crying to see them standing up to some of the vitriol that masquerades as 'pc' and open-minded diversity talks, just as I would not cry over someone standing up to book-burners. Open minded is sharing more than one point of view and emphasizong the critical thinking processes when receiving information. Let children make up their own minds without undue steering - and it needs to be done mindfully and with care. Again, I am all for some programming and curricular review if the culture studies have turned into rants and screeds in az.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I agree itS overkill , but I very much doubt it's on account of a single activist. At the DC school where I witnessed- adults airing bias to kids was pretty much the norm. The sight of dc elementary schoolers chanting down with bush at the end of the huerta talk might be a small example of what people are tired of their public ed dollars paying for. Personally, it's not the views per se I object to but the shameless brainwashing. Object to same from right or any shade of view. I think the pendulum has swung in az and there are some shots being fires across the bow. The truth ( ie rational policy) is probably somewhere in the middle - but I have to say that I am not exactly crying to see them standing up to some of the vitriol that masquerades as 'pc' and open-minded diversity talks, just as I would not cry over someone standing up to book-burners. Open minded is sharing more than one point of view and emphasizong the critical thinking processes when receiving information. Let children make up their own minds without undue steering - and it needs to be done mindfully and with care. Again, I am all for some programming and curricular review if the culture studies have turned into rants and screeds in az.

Before you say that, read the typical school textbook description of the Mexican-American war, and see if you feel that it is a balanced portrayal of regional history suitable for children who are of Mexican heritage. That's why the curriculum exists. It allows us to acknowledge latino interests instead of the unpalatable re-writing of our history textbooks to tell the story of Texas and California the way it really happened.

[Anonymous]

Right "We didn't cross the border, the border crossed us" yadda yadda. How bout' kids can study that electively on their dime in college?

[Anonymous]

"Gringos" are treated so fairly in Mexico,,,not even allowed to 'own' property. Whatever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Gringos" are treated so fairly in Mexico,,,not even allowed to 'own' property. Whatever.

Well they would have to be serious dumbasses to let us own property there after we took over half their land mass. Get a clue.

[Anonymous]

Oh they're not dumbasses at all. It fine for them to have bizarre protectionist propery laws and a bristling southern border with guns pointed at central america- fine for them to export kidnapping to the us so a now has 300 a year, fine to shout antiamerican slogans after 9 11 at soccer matches or heckle the American contestant ( and their guest ) at the ms universe pageant, But when we go for controlled immigration, pass laws to not fund with public dollars classes that teach anti-govt hatred the decidedly not dumb-ass la raza propaganda machine rolls out somehow oblivious to a double standard. I think pretty smart actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh they're not dumbasses at all. It fine for them to have bizarre protectionist propery laws and a bristling southern border with guns pointed at central america- fine for them to export kidnapping to the us so a now has 300 a year, fine to shout antiamerican slogans after 9 11 at soccer matches or heckle the American contestant ( and their guest ) at the ms universe pageant, But when we go for controlled immigration, pass laws to not fund with public dollars classes that teach anti-govt hatred the decidedly not dumb-ass la raza propaganda machine rolls out somehow oblivious to a double standard. I think pretty smart actually.

You have a warped view of mexican-american relations, friend. Mexico is our third largest trading partner. We do $300 billion in trade with them a year. And while Arizona has a big problem with Mexico, Texas doesn't. How do you explain this conservative state's friendly relationship with Mexico? Sure, it's not problem free, but by and large, Texas an Mexico get along to everyone's benefit. If Arizona doesn't get that, the problem is not with Mexico but with Arizona.

[Anonymous]

I did not say we do not get along; by and large I think trading partners and increased immigration (governed by law) is a good thing. I was referring to some double-standards in our relationship that la raza never seems to bring up. Every incident I cited (from a double standard on the border, to a double-standard on property, to a double standard on soccer game decorum) is a fact. That's what's warped.

As to the culture studies classes:

"HB 2281 bans schools from teaching classes that are designed for students of a particular ethnic group, promote resentment or advocate ethnic solidarity over treating pupils as individuals. The bill also bans classes that promote the overthrow of the U.S. government."

Gosh! How shocking that they explicitly don't wish the above taught to elementary students. What is America coming to??