Through The Critical Lens

"Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern, but impossible to enslave."

There is nothing better than being critically aware of our surroundings. Many things are going wrong in the society in which we live in. There are growing attacks and constant obstacles that are put in front of the community in Tucson, Arizona. Arizona being known as a 'racist state' for its harsh Anti-Migrant Law SB 1070 and HB 2281, the law that bans ethnic studies in the Tucson Unified School District.

Chicano/a Movement

In the 1960's the battles for Chicanos Studies and Ethnics studies began. The Chicano Movement at Universities began to demand they be allowed to learn about their own cultural background in their schools. Many students felt they did not know enough about where they came from and who they were. The movement at the time was also lead by the youth, and it continues to be lead by the youth. The youth empowerment went far, because in the late 1960's the youths work paid off; the first Mexican American Studies/Chicano Studies were established.

Thought throughout the decades there were a lot controversy against the Mexican American Studies classes. It wasn't until 2006 when we began going backwards to return to the past that got us right back to the 1960's. Fighting for our educational rights and fighting against racism, fighting for our culture.

Tom Horne, former Superintendent of Public Education and now State Attorney General is one of the main opponents. Tom Horne is known for his participation in attempting (and after many tries) succeeding to dismantle the Mexican American Studies Classes in the state of Arizona. Horne, drafted the law HB 2281 after an event in Tucson High School occurred in 2006. Dolores Huerta went in as a public speaker. At one point when she was speaking Huertas said “Republicans hate latinos” When it came to Hornes attention, he sent a women by the name of Martha Duggan to speak on behalf of Republican Latinos. Her argument was that she was a Latina Republican, and that she did not hate her self.

Silent Protesters at Tucson High School

The twist to this was the following: Students were not allowed to ask questions or dialogue with the Latina Republican. The students found this unfair, so it protest (a silent protest that is) the students stood up with tape over their mouths, wearing shirts that read “You can silence my voice, but you not my spirit” and walked out, quietly.

Tom Horne found the action that the students took very disrespectful and that is when he began his attacks on Ethnic Studies, Primarily and only focusing only on the Mexican American Studies Classes.

In the law, it expresses that the Mexican American Studies classes Promotes the following:


-The overthrow of the United States government

Arizona Attorney General, Tom Horne

-Resentment toward a race or class of people
-Are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group
-Advocate for ethnic solidarity 

The Law was signed by Arizona State Governor Jan Brewer on May 11, 2010. [Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into law prior to signing HB 2281 into law]

If things weren't hectic before, they were going to be now.

When Tom Horne was elected State Attorney General in November 2010, he found the Mexican American Studies Classes illegal three hours before leaving his position as State Superintendent of Public Education. The law went to effect in January of 2011.

Jan Brewer, Governor of Arizona

Signing the bill into law prohibited TUSD from teaching Mexican American Studies courses. If the district did not comply, every month the state would take out 10% of the schools budget for every month the state saw the classes implemented in the schools.

“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty”

Students began to take matters into their own hands. Walk outs were organized, groups were organized and the community was putting the pressure on the TUSD Government Board to defy the bill.

"In schools today there's hundreds of problems like, irrelevant curriculum...” Says Richard G. A Tucson High School Alumni “Students must be seen in the curriculum and in the teacher.” Richard G took Mexican American Studies cores both his Junior and Senior year.

Richard G. is a very important person in the movement. I asked him how the classes affected him and his education, and he answered the following “Before i took the classes i didn't value nor did i have any interest in school or education.”

The school board would hear testimonies a the Tuesday's school board meetings. Students, Teachers, Parents both for and against the classes. Everyone had a purpose when they went to speak at the school board meetings. Everyone wanted to do something, anything to preserve the classes.

UNIDOS banner on May 3, 2011 Outside 1010

One group of youths stand out in the fighting crowd. The group is known as UNIDOS (United Non-Discriminatory Individuals Demanding Our Studies) Students from school all around Tucson that came together in response to HB 2281. What this group has accomplished has shocked people around the nation. I chose to interview Leilani Clark, a former UNIDOS organizer, Tucson High School Alumni and long time inspirational activist in the state of Arizona.

Leilani Clark speaking to a Reporter

“Beginning the school year of 2007-2008 the Right wing began to aggressively set forth on their campaign to dismantle the Ethnic Studies Department in TUSD, namely the classes offered at Tucson Magnet High School. I had just graduated that previous spring time and had started to work at Coalición de Derechos Humanos as a youth intern and tied together the issues of the Migrant Rights struggle with activities of THS M.E.Ch.A.

M.E.Ch.A. as well with the Raza Studies classes were being attacked by the Teenage Republicans Club (TARS). Students from TARS had posted up videos on Youtube of Latino Literature teacher Curtis Acosta’s classroom, raising alarm about the “Revolutionary and Communist” materials found on the posters and black board, namely that of a student made sign saying, “Whose the illegal alien, pilgrim?”

TARS started a petition claiming they didn’t feel safe at school with such “hateful language” and sent the petition to numerous Arizona Republicans, such as Senator Russell Pearce, Representative Jonathan Paton, and Superintendent of Public Schools Tom Horne.
This is what led to the first piece of Anti-Ethnic Studies legislation SB 1108, which passed the Arizona House of Representatives in March 2008 and would ban all Ethnic Studies courses offered in AZ schools as well as “ethnic or cultural” student groups from organizing on campus."

My question to her was what are asked to many of those students who take the classes: Why is this struggle so important to you?

“It is very important to me because I remember clearly it was in those classrooms where I first became proud of who I was, on the inside and outside. I never liked the appearance of my curly hair, and no matter how trivial that sounds- the acceptance of your own hair is one of the biggest obstacles a young half African American woman can overcome when growing up in a society where you are constantly reminded on a daily basis that only straight hair is beautiful. I saw a picture of Angela Davis in a book, and cannot tell you the level of pride I felt when I finally found a hero who looked like me.”

“The aspect of self identity, and gaining the self identity and finding who you are. Finding a place for yourself, somewhere you feel comfortable” Comparing the two answers, Daniel Montoya is quite similar to Leilani's.

John Huppenthal

Those advocating against the Mexican American Studies, can not see the positive effects,no matter how many students or alumni say how these classes helped them find who they truly are.

Statistics Compiled show that 95% of students who take the Mexican American Studies courses graduate and 70% seek out higher education. Not only that, but it closes the achievement gap.

Yet, that is still was not enough to convince current Superintendent John Huppenthal that these classes aren't promoting resentment or the over throw of the government.

I asked Leilani what she had witnessed fighting this battle for education.

Community at the May 3 School Board Meeting

“I have witnessed that the most effective responses our community received in this battle was when the students were the ones to lead the campaign, action, or event bringing awareness to the struggle to not only save Ethnic Studies but to expand the program. In any movement there is a continuous cycle of new and reused strategies to meet demands; youth very much bring forth that new energy that keeps our battle in motion.
Each student is a bridge connecting the Ethnic Studies movement to their own neighborhood and community. The students are the LGBTQ community, the African American Community, The Native American community, the Religious community, the Pan-Asian community, Migrant community- 1^st generation, 2^nd generation, and undocumented. The Students are the artists, the writers, the film makers, the dancers, the athletes, the taggers, everything under the sun- as a collective, we represent. So when the times came it has been the student call for community support that brings out the most numbers.”

Leilani Clark, Daniel Montoya & 7 others take over.

On April 26, 2011 the Mexican American Studies classes were going to be voted electives by the school board. With only Judy Burns and Adelita Grijalva supporting the program, TUSD Superintendent John Pedicone, former Board President Mark Stegeman, Michael Hicks and Miguel Quevas would vote to devalue the program, and dismantling the program in the sneakiest way possible. On this day Leilani and eight other students chained themselves to the empty seats of the board members, 15 minutes before the School Board Meeting began.

“The whole concept of UNIDOS was very similar to the reasons why PRE needed to exist- to create that space for students to communicate with one another on how they can further fight to defend Ethnic Studies. UNIDOS has gone so far and beyond PRE simply for the fact that true friendships formed inside this space. Each time I see a photo of the different students together outside of political setting, just ‘hanging out’; a Rincon student with a Sunny Side student, a Tucson High student with a University High student, etc. It honestly makes my heart grow. Those friendships are the most powerful medicine we have in this battle- a battle that, when it all comes down to it, is led by love.

Those friendships, more than anything, is truly what made it all worth it for me.”

Being an activist isn't all its cut out to be, especially for the youth who try to reach out to show that they are critical thinkers and intellectual.

Leilani during April 26

“One of the hardest lessons I had to learn was in the fall of 2010 with the attempts of organizing high school walkouts. They didn’t happen and many people were hurt in the process. I had to learn in a very hard way I can’t view current situations through the lens of my past. I placed my personal past experiences on those of the students and assumed they would manage just fine organizing themselves.

We have to stay in the now, it’s good to look at the past for ideas and inspiration, but nothing is the same, and you constantly have to create a new reality every single day. To cling to the past and expect the same results in the present and future blindsides you and will almost always lead to failure.
You need a good support system to maintain a balance of leading a life in the movement, yet not becoming unhealthily absorbed by it. I am blessed to have such a supportive family that honored and respected the work I did, not everyone has that support base. This entire movement is all about fighting to reclaim your humanity, and that is something very hard to continue doing if you are alone.”

The Ethnic Studies battle still continues and the attacks just keep coming. In all of this chaos there is still people, youth and community fighting for a cause. People remain strong and somehow find a way to not give up on such a difficult task.

“I still stand in awe of the absolute courage and bravery I saw in students who were still in their teens- they made very ‘grown-up’ decisions and took a lot of ‘grown-up’ weight on their shoulders. I still stand in disbelief today when I hear some of them telling me that I, myself, helped to encourage some of that. I often feel it is the other way around.

They have brought out the best in me.”

 

Images Hosted by Google and Chris Summitt Photography.