Attorney General Horne addressed the rulings by Judge Tashima and Kowal in the matter of Tucson Unified School District’s Mexican American Studies classes on the Garrett Lewis radio program in Tucson today. Horne was the Superintendent of Public Instruction before becoming Attorney General.
Horne pointed out that in the federal case, “The judge was dealing with technical issues, he was not dealing with the substance. When the case proceeds, he will be dealing with the same materials that the hearing judge dealt with.”
Judge Tashima ruled against the teachers. He found that they do not have First Amendment protections. He did find that one daughter of the teachers who is TUSD student had standing, but did not decide on the merits of her case.
Quite the contrary, Judge Tashima wrote, “the Constitution does not compel teachers, parents, and elected school officials to surrender control of the American public school system to public school students). The teachers and students could just as easily form an extracurricular club or social group outside of school to discuss such issues.”
The technical issue was addressed, “As a result, the Court denies Defendant’s motion to dismiss Plaintiff Students’ First Amendment free speech claims for failure to state a claim.”
It was during Horne’s tenure that questions arose about the classes. On his final day as Superintendent he proclaimed the Tucson Unified School District out of compliance with Arizona law.
Horne told Lewis that “We have reached an important milestone. This is a program that teaches racism.”
Horne was asked about the district’s decision to keep the students and teachers together in the same classrooms now that the classes have been suspended. “It is very suspicious and very fishy that they are keeping the kids in the same classrooms as the teachers.”
While disbanding the Mexican American Studies classrooms, the teachers are being reassigned to traditional classrooms, but the district has opted to move the students into those teachers’ classrooms. When asked what would happen to the teachers if they continue teaching materials that promote resentment and hate against Arizona law, Horne said, That would be unprofessional conduct and I would image that the teacher’s licenses would be in jeopardy. They would loose their licenses for unprofessional conduct.
He told Lewis that we must “remain” and that “public school classrooms should be open to the public. These are fundamentally racist courses that have no business on our public schools. There needs to be a lot of follow through there is to be a lot of follow up on it.”
Horne told Lewis that “It’s okay to teach about oppression that’s part of history.” He then explained the difference between teaching history and indoctrinating students. “The real serious problem is that these teachers are radical.” Horne said “The students should be taught that what matters is our character.”
Lewis played a sound bite from an interview of a student protester at the Governing Board meeting Tuesday night and asked Horne to respond to the student’s threats, “This why it is very dysfunctional, they are taught to be confrontational and not deal with things in a civil way. They do not learn this at home.”
As evidence of Horne’s statement, parents throughout the district have rejected the classes. Last year approximately 1200 students were enrolled in the classes, and this year approximately 270 students were enrolled in the classes. Since the start of the year that number has dropped. One parent reported that as soon as she and her child watched the testiphonial movie “Precious Knowledge” produced by Mexican American Studies proponents, she refused to allow her child to enroll in any more classes.
The mother reported that her child was told that they could earn a better grade if they attended the premier of the movie.
Related articles:
Federal Judge denies “Save Ethnic Studies” teachers
TUSD’s Mexican American Studies appeal’s closing arguments due today
Huppenthal’s actions affirmed by judge in Mexican American Studies case