EMAIL SIGN UP!
Most Popular This Week
Popular content
Today's Top News
Arizona's 'Banned' Mexican American Books
First, the Tucson school district came for the Mexican American studies program. Now, it's come for its books.
In the aftermath of the suspension of the Tucson Unified School District's Mexican American studies department, TUSD has confiscated and continues to confiscate MAS teaching materials. Besides artwork and posters etc, that includes books. This move came in response to an unconstitutional measure, HB 2281, which was specifically created to dismantle the highly successful MAS-TUSD department.
Cover detail from one of the books on the Mexican American studies program 'banned' by TUSD. (Photo: guardiannews.com)
Amid a massive backlash, TUSD officials have backpedaled, claiming that the confiscation of the books that took place after the 10 January MAS suspension does not constitute a banned books list. While TUSD claims that only seven book titles were ordered boxed and carried off, the fact is that the confiscation – in some cases, in front of the students – involved more than the seven titles. But the seven books that are "not banned" (but merely "confiscated") are:
Critical Race Theory, by Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic
500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures, edited by Elizabeth Martinez
Message to Aztlán, by Rodolfo Corky Gonzales
Chicano! The History of the Mexican Civil Rights Movement, by F Arturo Rosales
Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, by Rodolfo Acuña
Pedagogy of the Oppressed, by Paulo Freire
Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, by Bill Bigelow
The MAS-TUSD curriculum comprises some 50 books. All have been or are being removed or confiscated from every classroom; teachers are being told to turn in the books that have not been "confiscated". This might strike the average person as odd: it's as if the presence of these books inside classrooms constitutes a distraction or bad influence. Apparently, students should not be able to even see those books in the classrooms.
Officially, the 50 books (listed at the end of the independent Cambium report (pdf), which actually gave the MAS-TUSD program a big thumbs up and recommended that it be expanded) are not banned. But it could be said that their apparent status is now that of "undocumented books".
As a result of the banning of the MAS program, there has been much unrest. One action involved a walkout and march from Cholla High School to the TUSD headquarters, a distance of five miles. When the marchers reached TUSD headquarters, they were met by several bureaucrats, including administrator, Lupita Garcia, an opponent of the MAS program who oversees the district's ethnic studies programs. She unabashedly told the students that racism has nothing to do with color and that Mexico is where Mexican studies is taught, not America!
This was, of course, inaccurate: what was suspended by HB 2281 was Mexican American studies, not Mexican studies. When students asked why European studies has not been banned, nor any other area studies discipline, the administrators had no response. And regarding the issue of this being America, apparently this administrator believes that Mexican Americans don't belong in America (as she presumably meant the United States).
In a development typical of Arizona, the students who walked out on Thursday, protesting the elimination of the district's Mexican American studies program, have – without a hearing – been directed to perform janitorial duties this Saturday: an amazing message, right out of Newt Gingrich's playbook (he has been campaigning in the GOP presidential nomination race, proposing the idea that students should be hired as janitors to teach them a work ethic). Apparently, TUSD administrators are paying attention.
The further message of this punishment, then, appears to be that the state and the district do not want students to study Mexican American studies, but they do want them to clean toilets. Perhaps, Gingrich should consider relocating to Arizona, where his message is being fully embraced.
While the issue of which books are banned, or "not banned" but confiscated, continues to be sorted out, more unrest can be expected. Widespread condemnation has been swift – to the point that TUSD officials are not only claiming that they do not have a banned books list but even that they have not eliminated MAS; they are simply in the process of "improving" it.
Comments
Note: Disqus 2012 is best viewed on an up to date browser. Click here for information. Instructions for how to sign up to comment can be viewed here. Our Comment Policy can be viewed here. Please follow the guidelines. Note to Readers: Spam Filter May Capture Legitimate Comments...
39 Comments so far
Show AllShortsighted censors: nothing like banning books to pique the curiosity of the targeted students.
Right you are. Community reading clubs might be formed to read and talk about these books. I hope so.
Are these books actually "banned" or are they simply no longer being bought and paid for by the schools? Sorry, this whole brewhaha looks like some authors crying over their money than anything else. Rodolfo Acuna has an article on common dreams where he cites his own work in the third person as the target of Inquisition style venom...that is to say sales of his book are expected to decline.
Do they put out updated editions so the schools will buy even more? School books are a racket. Everyone who goes to college learns that.
How about of giving American students of latin heritage a positive leg up by issuing books titled "Pedro does well in Math and becomes a Chemical Engineer" as opposed to "Poor Pedro is Oppressed and needs to spend 10 years in college studying humanities and getting useless degrees for his Raza?"
Did you polish up those jackboots this mornin? You got three creases in your blackshirt starched up nice? Closet neo-fascists will come out of the woodwork like cockroaches during the slow but steady economic and social breakdown that is happening in front of our eyes.
It is far easier to blame the "Other" than to look behind the curtain and recognize the collective pillaging we are all getting from the good ol white super-rich bankster/corporate boys. But hey if your intellectual capacity is that limited, just believe what you see on TV like most 'merkans
I really was expecting to be challenged over the central thesis of my post; that the grieving is really a matter over money than free speech(can I still buy the books on amazon?) and how I fail to see how instilling militant 'chicano' identity into children of latin american heritage helps them to fit in. Or succeed.
But I really am lost as to how this has *anything* to do with the looting of our Treasury and the ripping off of most taxpayers in favor of some wealthier ones. Let alone fascism. Please try to allow to make sense to me.
Oh, just trying to get attention, sorry I don't know why I wasted my time.
No one will challenge your central "thesis". It is flat out bullshit. Have you ever heard of the Constitution of The United States? Or the bill of rights? Yes you have, in fact you took an oath to defend the constitution, did you not? Such mendacity is a simple way to distract the topic, and engage people to sap their energy. One thing is sure, you are really lost. You have something on your chin.
I am well aware of the things you mention. What is missing is; how exactly is this related to above mentioned texts? How anyones book must be purchased in bulk and used as part of a school curriculum and cannot be discarded in favor of something else violate free speech or the Constitution?
Are you well aware that these were books used in public education, books that the Teachers used to Educate the students. You have reversed reality- the law does not force us to buy a certain book- it forces us to NOT buy a certain book- books that the ruling class feels threatened by. This is the reason we have the Bill of Rights, and the US Constitution- to protect our RIGHTS ; to prevent the majority from oppressing the minority, or in this case the minority from oppressing the majority. The super disregarded the rest of the community, and sought to use the system to foment his personal agenda- hatred of the poor, because he derives luxury and power from class structure, because he has come to hate the people whom he extracts that power and privilege from. Perhaps this is some of the context you are missing: You have reversed reality in your own mind. Open up your heart and perhaps some day you can unclench your mind.
Stop using the Bill of Rights to defend people who despise every single one of the white European Americans who wrote the Constitution and who use Marxist race theory ideology to indoctrinate young minds. The people you are defending couldn't care less about the US Constitution.
Marxist race theory? That's a good one! Did you learn that from Rupert Murdoch? Dude pull up your pants, your ignorance is showing.
Redcondom ducky____ FUCK YOU. I do what I want, say what I want. YOU DO NOT OWN THE BILL OF RIGHTS. I am a European American, so suck my dick. The constitution you are attacking belongs to all of us, the people you are attacking are americans, and we all care about the constitution, much more than you do. You are a traitor!
Please stop citing the US Constitution to defend Marxist ideologues and reverse racists who have absolutely ZERO respect for ANY of the Dead White Males who created the Constitution.
You cite freedom of speech, freedom of the press! What a laugh! Watch Huppnethal give the example he saw in one classroom where they only referred to benjamin Franklin (probably the single most influential support behind "freedom of speech and the press in the U.S. Constitution) as nothing but a slaveowning racist! You are a fool.
Which amendment mandates reverence and respect for the Dead White Males? It is fun to keep you engaged, you illustrate both the reason for the bill of rights and why education is important, it is too bad you missed out on most of yours "at university".
"No ban on European studies" in Arizona! Those teaching it and their textbooks must not be up to standard clearly or else they surely would have been. Toi tell the truth about European history is tough even perhaps on those not of European stock and not to those of the same but to be of that background and teach it to those of same must be a real struggle. But we must know the truth, and surely it will set us free. May the black God in Heaven bless us all and bless the agenda of one egalitarian world for us all.
"Marxist theory of race!" I guess that must be similar to his theory about gender, which was that neither gender should be superior to the other and at one time and he found among some indigenous people in the USA, they weren't. His analyis isn't perfect, but let somebody today starting out from scratch try to do better. Do read this link on a real Marxist and feminist analyis and it's not Amurkan but it's very pro American in the sense of such people as Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson once aptly put it that "Greed degraded, and will degrade." He also said noone should get "more than" that person's share. Maybe that's why the John Birch Society decided he was the first Communist president. But I digress. The link is here--
http://www.isreview.org/issues/02/engles_family.shtml -
You may not be able to click on it. You can simply put in a URL I'd think though.
Your characterization of supercilious generalized racist bigotry as a "thesis" supports your conclusion: "But I really am lost".
Since I knew at least someone who yell "racist" I would please like to call your attention to Roberto Acuna's article posted here on common dreams. I'll give you a series of quotes from the article.
"In typical Torquemada fashion Tucson Unified School District inquisitors, Mark Stegeman, Michael Hicks, Miguel Cuevas and Alexandre Borges Sugiyama abolished the district’s highly successful Mexican American Studies program at the direction of the lord inquisitors in Phoenix."
"Of the Tucson gaggle the only honest one is Hicks, who is openly a racist and limited intelligence. The failed scholar Stegeman is stuck on the promotion ladder. He’ll never make it to full professor without support of politicos. Sugiyama is a bad scholar and a worse teacher; his only chance for a full time position is to sell his posterior. *The pitiful Cuevas just wants acceptance from rich white people in the city*."
Notice the distinction he makes for the one known 'Chicano' member of the board.
It's RODOLFO Acuna, not Robert. And if you find his Occupied America 2nd Edition I believe you will see he himself admits to having written an angry screed. I believe it's in the foreward. Has been quite a few years since I read it but it is in one of the followup editions of his polemical work.
Business is brisk lately for the race hustlers here on CD. The usual customers are lining up to get their fix so you'll likely be out-numbered. Rebuttals will consist of profanity and ad hominem attacks with the occasional "Nazi", fascist", "bigot", "racist", "NAFTA", "jack-booted", etc, etc, ad nauseam.
The hypocrisy is that many of these same posters comment about environmental destruction, foreign policy, MIC, etc yet seem to welcome a new burgeoning demographic, without question or skepticism, into the society they despise so much. As if somehow they won't become the new consumers, cannon-fodder, duped voters and 99%. . During the 60s when the corporatists saw America achieving equilibrium and possibly gaining more social power and equality they opened the flood gates to dilute the efforts made by the working-class Chicanos, Black Americans, Whites, even native Americans -remember that!? It's deja vu all over again and the dilution process will continue with the progs jumping aboard each time like the ignorant masses they loathe so much, thinking they're so much smarter. Never questioning, never any skepticism, unconsciously enabling the desires of the elite. I gotta laugh.....
I agree that calling people "Nazi," etc. does not always help bring about better understanding and general movement towards more reality-based and therefore empowered and powerful visions of the world and how to bring about a better world. (Sometimes, however, naming fascist reasoning as fascist is very helpful.) I don't think, however, it's nearly as simple as you imply regarding corporatists' opening up immigration as the main way to defeat the revolutionary movements of the 60's. Targeted assassinations of leaders (JFK, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (Malcolm X), MLK, the Black Panthers); infiltration and "dirty tricks"; the ameliorative/state face-saving (s)election of Carter; pulling out of Vietnam; reorganization of the press and its behavior during war; limited integration and affirmative action separating a share of the Black bourgeoisie from poor African Americans; the perfect-storm American economic shifts of the 1970's that Richard Wolf details; and many other changes/acts pulled off by the power structure may have been far more influential in snuffing out the revolutionary moment(s). Further, take the totally massive May Day-plus demonstrations of 2004-2005 (thereabouts) by mainly Mexican and Latin American immigrants, documented as well as undocumented, as evidence that immigrants are definitely not some homogeneously passive or reliably conformist group in American society. In fact, immigrants have often formed the vanguard of social and labor and political movements in the U.S., though I'm also not saying there isn't something to exploring further the question of what role increased immigration in the 60's played in our national politics and development.
If you haven't been in the classrooms in question, it's very hard to judge whether those books were being used productively to promote the students' growth, chances at success in life, and chances at working effectively with others in both professional and other contexts to bring about a better society and world. However, I for one do think it is very significant that all the available studies done on the MAS program in Tucson have shown it to be very successful in improving Latin@ students' graduation rates, college attendance rates, and other critical indicators of chances at life success and democratic citizenship. Now, this data might not accord with preconceived notions of what ethnic studies is all about, or, more specifically, what the Tucson MAS program is all about, but then might that mean it's time for some new thinking and considering of the facts?
According to the superintendant of education there, Mr. Huppenthal, when they analyzed the studies' methods they found data were selectively cherrypicked (for instance comparing graduation rates for 8th graders versus seniors!) See the interview with Huppenthal on Democracy Now!
He is a very educated and thoughtful man.
I've now read the whole DN! transcript of that debate--it was not just an interview, as it also included the attorney representing the teachers and students in the MAS program. I found Mr. Huppenthal bared his great ignorance of the actual pedagogical praxis of Paolo Freire by droning on and on about what a horrible Marxist Freire was, without going at all to any of the actual impact on shaping popular education that Freire has had around the world. Mr. H. also makes a big point of Che Guevara having presided over the supposed mass execution of thousands of Cubans guilty only of thought crimes. I am aware of some of the injustices committed by the Cuban government, but I hadn't heard of this one; more importantly, the heavy emphasis Mr. H. places on the evils of Marxism and Che Guevara, while saying nothing about the current horrendous state treatment of immigrants in Arizona says a lot, I think, about his level of sensitivity to his living neighbors. I would not characterize him, from that debate, as very well educated nor thoughtful. As for the questions about the studies' methods, I did not find Mr. H. convincing in this area either, because the attorney's rebuttals were fairly strong. Without doing more research, I would say I am more convinced that the MAS program was doing more good than the standard alternative (ultimately, I think, the quality of any program also depends significantly on the character and qualities of the classroom teacher). But thanks for the reference--I did learn from reading that debate.
"Mr. H. also makes a big point of Che Guevara having presided over the supposed mass execution of thousands of Cubans guilty only of thought crimes."
That statement is factually incorrect. He never said such a thing or implied it. Reread the text OR WATCH the damn interview on the TV viewer to obtain all the nuances of expression.
"more importantly, the heavy emphasis Mr. H. places on the evils of Marxism and Che Guevara, while saying nothing about the current horrendous state treatment of immigrants in Arizona says a lot, I think, about his level of sensitivity to his living neighbors."
Why don't you put his point in context instead of use a sly out-of-context attack ? He was pointing out the bias against white American historical figures to support his contention of the class "pedagogy" fostering resentment, in other words BIASED one sided history. You are now mixing apples and oranges.
And now I will learn you some more, I studied MAS at university ONE FULL YEAR of MAS classes and studied Spanish for native speakers too despite NOT being of hispanic origin (white bread from Iowa). READ CAREY MCWILLIAMS NORTH FROM MEXICO then read the 2nd Edition Occupied America from the reverse racist Rodolfo Acuna (one of the so-called "banned" books). If you are intellectually honest, you will see why Acuna's book when taught as a doctrinaire material was bad news and why McWilliams was once considered the true father of Mexican American studies.
Please don't write to me with words like "and now I will learn you some more." That language is the language of parodying an authoritarian, uncouth, old-time teacher, as if I were an unfortunate child who "needed" to be "taught a lesson." Maybe you meant it differently, but I'm sharing with you how it sounds to me. I am interested in debating facts and ideas and experiences, not in personal digs. When I said I appreciated your reference, I meant it--even if, yes, what I may have learned from reading the DN! debate is different from what you got from it. I still appreciate your pointing to that piece.
----The only one of the banned books (fine--banned from teaching in the MAS program, but not banned from other school programs in Arizona nor from being read independently by students, granted) that I've read is Paolo Freire's "Pedagogy of the Oppressed." I've not only read Freire, but my teaching has been affected, to an important degree, by Freire's work, and by the work of thousands of other educators who have grappled with Freire's implications on popular education. Because of this personal knowledge and experience, I am appalled that Mr. H. gives Freire so cursory and twisted an evaluation, and says nothing of F.'s profound impact on teaching around the world. I don't think it's out of context at all to raise the issue that Mr. H., in discussing this MAS issue, himself chooses to give no context of the racial profiling, skyrocketing due-process-less deportations, and other cruel treatment of brown people in Arizona. If we're talking about how do we best serve Latin@ youth, we can't leave out important parts of the reality of their current lives.
-----From the DN! transcript, Mr. H says, "And I said, "Did you—do you all know that Che Guevara helped direct the Communist death camps in Cuba, that he—that under that regime, they put to death 14,000 dissidents, many of whom their only violation is what we would call free speech rights?" And while I was in the class, they characterized Benjamin Franklin as a racist."
I didn't originally directly quote Mr. H., but now I have. I don't think my paraphrase was so far off the mark of what Mr. H. was trying to convey.
Finally, I do not doubt your experience studying MAS at a university. I hear you that you found Rodolfo Acuna's work to be repugnant, and that, alternatively, you find "North From Mexico" to be a far more worthy work. Perhaps someday I'll read both and see if I agree or not. But how I read Acuna and McWilliams would not be the same as how a young Latina or Latino student in Arizona today might read them, as guided and supported--or directed and indoctrinated--by their teacher(s). I would agree with Mr. H. that HOW any work is read and studied makes a world of difference in how much value and learning can emerge from such study--and the more open-minded and investigative the approach, the better. I just don't see from his presentation that Mr. H. shows this open-mindedness to those works he himself critiques (like Freire's "Pedagogy") and decides are unfit to be taught in Tucson's MAS, nor to his neighbors (he also put up a television ad saying "Stop La Raza," which doesn't seem to me very helpful in bringing people together). Given the opportunity, I would be glad to check out "North From Mexico."
"this whole brewhaha looks like some authors crying over their money than anything else"
And some of these commentaries look like coming from people whose agenda is to deflect attention from the fact that conservative elites in Arizona are scared that poor latinos might become empowered through a better knowledge of their history.
Idle speculation is so much fun. And it is cheap too! All you have to do is type a few lines, and voila!
"And some of these commentaries look like coming from people whose agenda is to deflect attention from the fact that conservative elites in Arizona are scared that poor latinos might become empowered through a better knowledge of their history."
I'm not so sure on this one. Of all the many ethnic groups in America; why does this one need "to know their history" in order to succeed? Books titled "OCCUPIED" and "AZTLAN" don't seem dedicated to the goal of giving Pedro the support and confidence he needs to apply himself so that he can be successful in this country. your thoughts?
Whose history do you know? Rhetorical question, you are an ignorant and lazy person, you do not really have a grasp on history at all. As for your demeaning slur in describing our students, it really spells it all out- You are actually fighting to help the kids and support them to gain confidence so that they can be successful in their own country. You are simple and plain, all alone and afraid. But just calm down- no one is coming to get you, or force Anti White Bias on you, or indoctrinate you; we just want the kids to be able to think critically, understand what events led to our present situation, and to build a strong community for us all. Oh wait!!!!!! That is actually what you are afraid of- you should be very afraid, these kids are really smart.
You are a weak debater who uses ad hominem attack because of your own ignorance.
Critical thinking is NOT what Occupied America fosters. I HAVE read the book you have not . It is an angry biased polemic diatribe. It does NOT constitute quality balanced scholarly journalism only a biased rant, and exists primarily because race divisive politics sells textbooks and because the author Acuna found he could make a living shucking his affirmative action required victimhood.
Read Men to Match My Mountains and then read North From Mexico. Do you even know who Carey McWilliams was or are you even that ignorant?
Are you a patriot or a traitor? Patriots defend the constitution, does this answer my question?
What many rational observers are concerned with is that poor latinos will be whipped into a frenzy of hatred against whites by the use of materials so biased and one sided that those who have actually read some of these books have come to the same conclusion. Until you actually READ the materials and actually SEE what style of "pedagogy" the militant instructors use, you don't know what you are talking about.
You can teach the history of Mexican AMericans without materials that show only the absolute WORST of white Americans and absolutely IGNORE any positive contributions or any mitigating circumstances.
There should be a rule that NO ONE can comment on these reports who has not either read any of the books or who has not attended a Mexican American studies course (I have done both) I assure you the bias is palpable and the instruction, in cases of militant Chicano instructors, is intended to incite.
I am amazed you claim to know anyone rational, where did you meet them: In your Ethnic Studies Class?
For those of you invoking the Constitution, remember that these Marxist Chicano militants want very much to indoctrinate Mexican American youth in ways absolutely in contradiction to the values of the Bill of Rights.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU ALL LISTEN TO SUPERINTENDANT HUPPENTHAL'S INTERVIEW WITH AMY GOODMAN ON DEMOCRACY NOW! If you think Marxist race theory used to indoctrinate students to hate and resent white Americans is OK then forge on, but DO NOT cite the US Constitution in so doing, you appear incredible HYPOCRITES.
I highly recommend you crack open a book, turn off the freakin TV and learn who Karl Marx was. Unless you have read Capital, you don't know what the F you are talking about. Ignorance rules baby!
From the author of this column... This is for the Rubberduck...
Using your logic, how about, you can't comment unless you have been inside the MAS classrooms and read the 50 books that form part of the curriculum.
After rejecting the Cambium Report that he himself commissioned, Mr. Huppenthal then proceeded, similar to his predecessor Horne, to engineer a finding to his liking. An administrative law judge held a hearing (not part of the judiciary) and relied on Dr. Stotsky. She was not an expert in Ethnic Studies, Mexican American Studies, Critical Race Theory, nor had she ever visited one of the MAS classrooms, never interviewed any of the teachers or students... yet the judge relied primarily on her "work." amazing...
thanx
che guevara!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq_wgy65bzE
Most of this thread was infiltrated by racist fools. Sad. They will neither understand nor appreciate what the jackboot feels like until it's THEIR neck right under it.
Dear Siouxrose- let me say I appreciate your participation here, you draw the fire, and ire so regularly- by speaking the truth to power,at times I feel I do not share your cosmology intrinsically; but I would emulate your courage and hope to be at your side when needed. The irony is patriots fight and die protecting human rights, so that even imbeciles and neer'do'wells would never feel the pinch of the boot, never face the authoritarian oppression they espouse. Ultimately it is love we produce and share, for it takes courage to be loving in the face of hatred. It is cowards and villains we face, ever dangerous like a rabid animal they are.