“More than any other time I implore every former student of mine to show your respect for the best leader and Director of MAS we ever had, Sean Arce! If you still owe me a favor, I’ll see you at 6pm for burritos at 1010 tomorrow in respect to my camarada,” TUSD teacher, Curtis Acosta, was quoted in a blog post yesterday.
Protest is planned for tonight’s Tucson Unified School District’s Governing Board meeting. Protest planners are pulling out all the stops to ensure a big event. Board member Adelita Grijalva has requested a larger venue to accommodate larger participation in the protest.
The planned protest is related to the employment of Mexican American Studies director Sean Arce. According to the district’s Superintendent Pedicone, Arce reportedly turned down an offer of a position with the district, after Arce failed to win the renewal of his contract with the MAS program.
The professor who has been a leader of many of the protests against TUSD, Roberto “Dr Cintli” Rodriquez, wrote in his blog, “Burrito-traficantes will be descending upon Tucson Tues evening 6pm April 10, ensuring all MAS-supporters are fed burritos… this while showing support for Sean Arce, director of the embattled MAS-TUSD”….” During this meeting, MAS supporters will attempt to force-feed burritos to the TUSD governing board.”
Congressman Raul Grijalva, one of the originators and driving force behind the MAS program, has submitted an unsigned letter to the Board calling on the Board members to act in a manner “that unifies rather than divides.” According to the Arizona Daily Star, “The letter is expected to be signed by about a dozen former board members. It came together “organically,” according to U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who served on the TUSD board from 1975-1986.”
Grijalva’s release of the letter to the media, and not to the individual Board members, is seen as an attempt to intimidate, rather than inform, his daughter’s fellow Board members.
Since his time on the TUSD Governing Board, Grijalva has worked diligently to politicize TUSD’s classrooms.
Last year Arce made headlines when he refused to hold an awards event for all Hispanic students in the district due to his focus on only the MAS program and its handful of students. Under Arce’s leadership, the MAS department failed to improve graduation rates for MAS students, contrary to the department’s claims.
It wasn’t until Arce appeared at a civil rights forum and insulted Pedicone that action was finally taken.
The stakes are high, but not all are widely reported. Tonight, the Board is also expected to renew the contract of Augie Romero, Grijalva’s go-to-guy in the district. Pedicone has moved to put Romero in charge of writing the new Multicultural curriculum. Romero is being rewarded for failing to write the Equity Plan required by Judge Bury, in his desegregation order, over two years ago. That failure and other evidence of “bad faith” forced the Ninth Circuit Court to put the district back under court supervision.
Romero has repeatedly identified himself as the primary creator of the RAZA Studies program that he directed until Sean Arce became Director in 2008. It is well documented that Romero had little time to write policy as he traveled from New Orleans, to San Antonio, to San Francisco and New Zealand to promote himself, his work with Sean Arce on the importance of “racimizing” students, and his Social Justice Education Program.
The local chapter of the Communist Party USA sent out a call to action in an email:
From: Joe XXXXXX
Date: Sun, Apr 8, 2012 at 8:22 PM
Subject: ACTION ALERT: Support Mexican American Studies !Please distribute widely!!
ACTION ALERT!!
Support Mexican American Studies and Director Sean Arce!On Tuesday, April 10, 2012, the TUSD Board will vote to terminate its contract with the Director and one of the creators of the most successful Mexican American Studies Program, Sean Arce. After a long battle with both the state and local board members, our community continues to be ignored, attacked, and made fun of by TUSD officials.
TUSD board members, administration officials, and Superintendent Pedicone have insulted our students and community particularly since their vote on January 10, 2012, to terminate MAS. They have embarked on a frightening course of action, with Pedicone more concerned with silencing any opposition, whether at the UA, TUSD students or our community.
We must act for the well-being of all our children and grand-children in this rich community.
SHOW UP!
Tuesday, April 10th:
TUSD Headquarters
(1010 E. 10th Street, in Tucson)6:00pm: Burrito Tardeada
Burritos will be handed out by allies from Derechos Humanos, AFSCME Local 449, Casa Maria, Citizens for Educational Excellence, Fortin de las Flores, Las Adelitas Arizona, and Tucson High MEChA
8:00pm:TUSD Board meeting starts.
———————
Ya Basta!
Turn out to show support and solidarity, and to send a strong message that these injustices will not be tolerated in our community!
Related articles:
Grijalva’s top aide source of student recruitment effort
TUSD’s Director of Student Equity Augie Romero and Superintendent Pedicone have much in common