The Tucson Unified School District, under the leadership of its new superintendent, H.T. Sanchez, voted last night to resume offering the Mexican American Studies classes, and added new Critical Race based classes under the “Culturally Relevant” label. Board member Michael Hicks said after the meeting that Sanchez misrepresented the Arizona Department of Education’s position on the classes as he presented the agenda item for a vote.
Board members Hicks and Mark Stegeman voted against the classes as the State had advised the district as late as August 7 that the classes do not meet either state standards and can, or do, violate state law which prohibits the teaching of resentment to students based on the color of their skin.
The ADE sent the third letter of review to the district on August 7; however, neither that letter nor its findings were shared with the members of the Board prior to last night’s meeting. The district only provided the letter after Hicks requested a copy minutes before the meeting was to start.
According to district sources, Sanchez has been determined to cram through the classes despite the federal court order, issued by Judge David Bury in the district’s desegregation case, which requires that the classes meet both state standards and do not violate state law.
In the letter from the ADE, the district was advised that little had changed from the last review of the materials, and according to district sources, the district had no intention of changing the material. Ignoring general education standard practices, Sanchez presented the curriculum without the texts.
Dr. Stegeman objected to the new discipline guidelines, which he called one of the most disconcerting issues to come before him in his five years on the board. He noted that school principals will be stripped of power to discipline students. The Department of Justice has been actively involved in the development of the new guidelines.
Sanchez cut off discussion by the Board members saying, “We’re done, we’re done with our presentation. We’re ready to move forward with the vote.” With that, the Board voted 4 – 1 in favor of “the most lax standards possible,” according to Stegeman. Hicks said that he had problems with the guidelines, but since he has lost all interest in serving on the Board, he let the guidelines go through with little objection.
According to Hicks, Sanchez advised him that the plaintiffs had conceived of the discipline plan and that without this new code, the district would be completely without a code of conduct. “I am not responsible for this,” said Hicks. “It is what Sanchez and the plaintiffs wanted.”
However, one plaintiff representative denied that the plaintiffs wanted the plan. They claim that the plan was conceived by the DOJ and the plaintiffs’ concerns were ignored. The plaintiff representative said the new system “will create chaos.”
According to the representative, Sanchez has only recently agreed to meet with them and has only allowed 30 minutes for the meeting which is scheduled some time later this month.