Clash in Tucson school district over ethnic studies

In Tucson Unified School District there is a clash between some schools and district officials over the Mexican-American studies program. Outgoing state schools superintendent Tom Horne believes the district is breaking a state law aimed at quashing programs “designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group.” Horne is leaving his office to assume duties as state attorney general, and he believes the Mexican-American studies program “violates the law.” The Arizona Republic said the new superintendent John Huppenthal can decide whether to cut state funding by 10 percent—$15 million—if school officials refuse to cancel the program.

The newspaper said the law not only prohibits studies “aimed at certain ethnic groups,” but it also “bans classes that advocate overthrow of the U.S. government, promote resentment toward a race or class or people, or advocate ethnic solidarity.”

On the Tucson Unified website, pages announcing a conference held by the Mexican American studies department reflect an academic “focus” on matters like “Advocating for and providing curriculum that is centered within the Mexican American/Chicano cultural and historical experience” and “Advocating for and providing curriculum that is centered within the pursuit of social justice.”

Numerous political groups push similar ideology. Among them are Mexica Movement and National MEChA. Such groups believe the U.S. does not have a legitimate claim to part or all of states such as Texas, Arizona, California and others. Websites for such groups single out “white America” in a hostile manner and claim there is a “civil war.” One website carries the slogan, “Europeans are the illegals since 1492.” Groups that stress ethnic superiority often carry flags of other countries at protests in the U.S. and do not seek assimilation into American society but aim at maintaining ethnic and cultural purity.

Political movements that stress ethnic solidarity and social justice are popular at present and President Barack Obama as well as Democrat leaders like former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appear to agree with social justice approaches such as the failed DREAM Act. Ironically the concept of applying social justice to events that happened more than a century ago seeks redress for and from people who were not alive during the time of alleged injustice. Social justice is a concept used purely as a political tool.

The Mexican-American War happened in the mid 1800s. PBS has an in-depth look at the intricacies of the war, including the Texas Republic’s desire to be annexed by the U.S. during a time of political upheaval in Mexico.

Ethnic movements have been pushed by various politicians in search of power and votes as well as by some corporations. In 2008 Absolut vodka drew criticism for an ad campaign featuring a map showing the US and Mexican territories rendered as they were before the Mexican-American War. The map, for instance, showed California as part of Mexico. The L.A. Times quoted an ad agency director who said the ad “[tapped] into the national pride of Mexicans.”

Democrat friendly media dismiss the concept of "Aztlan" or the "reconquista" as a conspiracy theory. The blog Diggers Realm provides commentary about the movement.

The Republic said Horne prepared a 10-page document to be released on Monday. The paper said Horne remarked: "It becomes the duty of the people of Arizona, through their elected leaders . . . to put a stop to this, and to be sure that taxpayer-funded public schools teach students to treat each other as individuals, and not on the basis of the race they happen to have been born into."

Additional Reading

What is the meaning of the word Aztlan?
From student group archives at the University of Texas

(Filed by Kay B. Day/Jan. 3, 2011)