Arizona's Manufactured Crisis Turns into a Moral Crisis: Why Ethnic Studies Students Can't Wait

from AlterNet:



Arizona's Manufactured Crisis Turns into a Moral Crisis: Why Tucson's Ethnic Studies Students Can't Wait


Stumbling further into the quagmire of a national public relations disaster, drastic new measures by the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) officials have turned the “manufactured crisis” over the Ethnic Studies/Mexican American Studies Program into a troubling moral crisis for the city–and the country.

As Tucson school officials appear to unravel daily with increasing controversy, Mexican American Studies (MAS) students and UNIDOS activists are now emerging as the calmest standard-bearers of civil discourse for the community.

In an alarming crackdown on the non-violent UNIDOS student campaign last week that attracted national praise for its celebratory actions and demands for basic democratic involvement in education, the backpedaling TUSD superintendent John Pedicone has shocked the community by hiring costly armed guards to monitor this Tuesday’s rescheduled governing school board vote over a controversial school board resolution to strip the accreditation of the Ethnic Studies Program.

Only months ago, the Chicago-transplanted Pedicone declared the draconian state ban on Ethnic Studies was unconstitutional and a challenge to the law would be “the first hurdle.” In a candidate’s forum last fall, Pedicone even admitted: “If you look at the data, it is hard to argue with the success this program has with a historically under served population.” In fact, a recent TUSD analysis demonstrated the achievements of the MAS program. .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/577535/arizona%27s_manufactured_crisis_turns_into_a_moral_crisis%3A_why_tucson%27s_ethnic_studies_students_can%27t_wait/

pretty awesome.

side of this discussion....