Tucson Unified School District Governing Board member Michael Hicks says he will not be intimidated by well funded outside agitators. Hicks is referring to a threatened recall by ethnocentric extremist Randy Parraz.
Parraz and his extremist minions will need to collect approximately 25,000 signatures to succeed in a recall of Hicks. Hicks won by a large margin in the last election. He won the support of both democrats and republicans for the nonpartisan seat.
“The locally elected Tucson Unified School District Governing Board voted to follow the laws of the state of Arizona. The supporters of the Mexican-American Studies program, argued for local control in their complaints about the state’s Superintendent John Huppenthal’s actions in the matter of TUSD’ Mexican American Studies classes. Now these same individuals bring in a well funded activist from the state capitol, Mr. Randy Parraz. Apparently these individuals do not really have an interest in local control, but in their control.
“The people behind this publicity stunt are determined to cast anyone as villains, who does not support their efforts to politicize our classrooms and exploit our district’s students. I refuse to be intimidated by these bullying tactics. I was elected into this position by an overwhelming number of TUSD voters; I will continue my commitment to this position and to work diligently to promote student achievement for all students.”
Mr. Hicks questioned the basis of the recall, saying that “I was genuinely concerned for my welfare, and more importantly for the welfare for the students during the takeover. I alone, can say what I was or was not thinking during this takeover”.
“Recall organizers are basing their recall on their claim that I lied when I said that I was concerned for my safety and that of others during the takeover last spring by organized protesters.”
“I can assure Mr. Parraz and others that I am not concerned or fearful of this recall effort. It is unfortunate that Mr. Parraz will waste valuable energy, time and money, when the school kids in Arizona need the focused attention of all adults in these difficult times.”
Parraz succeeded in his recall of Russell Pearce because many Arizonans rejected Pearce’s divisive language and questionable associations.
Hicks is the only member of the Board who has come out an comdemned bullying in the district. He is the only member to publically question the use of kids by adults for their political purposes.
Just a few weeks ago, the Superintendent was forced to write to the head of the University of Arizona’s Mexican American Studies department asking for assistance in stopping the exploitation of TUSD students by U of A staff.
Pedicone requested Estrada’s assistance, noting that “Professors from the Mexican American Studies Department together with a student organization, encouraged students to not attend school and to participate in a day-long activity at the El Casino Ballroom, that was advertised as Join us for day of ethnic studies taught by U of A professors with performances by artist and commu8nity members. (Free food+Entertainment+Education=Time well Spent.)”
Pedicone told Estrada that “encouraging students to not come to school is counterproductive to the objectives we all share for students.”
Pedicone admitted in his letter that “It is likely that faculty will respond by saying they were not the ones to create this event, buy it is also clear that they had a role in the organization of this effort. This is not the first time, the Superintendent has admitted that adults were behind the students’ actions. After the student takeover of a Governing Board meeting last Spring, the Superintendent wrote Governing Board member Judy Burns that the students were “well-meaning and manipulated.
Hicks expressed his concern for the students who were lured to the U of A to participate in a “teach-in” behind locked doors.
“In my opinion, Randy Parraz is no different than Russell Pearce, he is the opposite side of the same ethnocentric coin,” says <a href=”http://www.tu4sd.com/”>TU4SD</a> co-founder Loretta Hunnicutt and Az Daily Independent contributor. “Parraz and is his supporters have sunk to an all time low by using children as props for his PR stunt.”