Opinion
Regarding the Arizona Daily Star’s article “Mexican American Studies: a postmortem” by Alexis Huicochea
We should be so lucky. Mexican American Studies, a new name for La Raza, is not over. The mere fact that TUSD Governing Board president Mark Stegeman sees the value in continuing to talk about this is proof of that. HB 2281 was pertinent and necessary to stop a program that was both divisive and un-American for Tucson’s children to be exposed to in a classroom environment. No, the supporters of HB 2281 are not practicing “race-based” politics, the people wanting MAS are practicing race-based education however. The folks opposed to MAS are wanting to protect kids from learning hate and division in a classroom.
I will dispute both Mark Stegeman’s statement “I think in the end, many of us do have roughly the same goals” and Roberto Dr Cintli Rodriguez’s statement that the focus was for students “to see themselves in others; seeking the root of the truth and social justice; and what it means to be human” will not pass muster with any citizen who looks into the curriculum of Mexican American Studies. Finding common ground starts with both sides speaking the truth.
Mexican American Studies, in structure and focus, is counterproductive by teaching social division, i.e. who are the oppressors and who are the oppressed. Also any school district accepting a class setting that selects out students by race is racist. Any teacher, who believes by teaching students in K -12 anything like this above, is racist. Life is tough enough without creating unnecessary barriers or beliefs. How about we just stick to quality education for all with the intent of promoting successful lives in America.
M Ebert
TUSD parent… a long time ago.