Tucson Revives Mexican-American Studies Program

From http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/07/24/205058168/Tucson-Revives-Mexican-American-Studies-Program?ft=1&f=1013

Tucson Revives Mexican-American Studies Program
by Ted Robbins
July 24, 2013

Back in 2010, Tucson streets were filled with protestors. A month earlier, the law known as SB-1070. Then, legislators passed another law banning the Mexican-American studies classes. The state decided the classes promoted racism and classism toward Anglos, advocated ethnic solidarity and suggested the overthrow of the government.

The classes were part of a decades-old federal desegregation case aimed at providing equal education. Earlier this year, a federal court ordered the district to offer the Mexican-American high school classes once more, as well as African-American studies classes. So TUSD superintendent H.T. Sanchez says there's little choice.

"We want a successful course that meets our federal desegregation court order and doesn't violate the state law. It's a very narrow path," says Sanchez.

And it looks like a rocky path again: The district asked the state to look at the new classes. The state said they're unacceptable. John Huppenthal, the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, agrees that the history of racial injustice needs to be taught, but says the Tucson curriculum is still inappropriate.

Read and listen to the entire report at http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2013/07/24/205058168/Tucson-Revives-Mexican-American-Studies-Program?ft=1&f=1013