Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

January 28, 2012

Tucson Schools: And then they came for the books!






First they suspended MAS. Then they suspended the students. Now they've come after the books.


By Roberto Rodriguez
Censored News
If you missed Thursday's teach-in at the U of A by suspended Wakefield students, and one Pueblo H.S. student, watch the highlights here: http://tucsoncitizen.com/three-sonorans/2012/01/27/twisted-pedicone-logic-punishing-middle-school-students-that-walked-out-by-kicking-them-out-of-school/comment-page-2/#comments
Here's a link to story in the Arizona Daily Star: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/education/precollegiate/students-in-walkout-suspended/article_e63dcb6f-9954-5cd9-936a-0577e8ba7044.html
The students were suspended for walking out in protest of TUSD's decision to suspend the district's Mexican American Studies department. Because they were not permitted to return to their schools, they were at the UA, attending MAS classes there, plus conducting the teach in. After the last class they attended, they were notified that their suspensions were lifted. The classes they attended were: The History of the Chicano Movement and Indigenous Thinkers/Indigenous Philosophers. There is no word if their suspensions were rescinded or if there may be other suspensions of the other participating high school students from Tucson and Cholla High Schools.
Inspired by the teach-in, UA student officials are planning a much larger teach-in at the end of February where everyone will be invited, including TUSD and state officials.
Aside from dismantling the MAS program and thrashing the discipline, and despite denials from the district, as a result of HB 2281, books have also been banned/confiscated from the classrooms. Seven books were boxed, though teachers were instructed to remove all books, art, posters, etc from their classrooms. This includes some 50 book titles. The list can be accessed at: http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2012/01/mexican-american-studies-department.html
*** If you have not signed the petition re the TUSD book banning, you are welcomed to do so. Go to: https://www.change.org/petitions/tucson-school-board-dont-lock-up-knowledge-return-books-to-students-now
Not to be forgotten is that this is a direct attack on Indigenous knowledge and the attempts by state and local officials to deny Tucson students, primarily Mexican Americans, of that knowledge.
Thanks
Sincerely
Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez
PO BOX 3812
Tucson, AZ 85722
For more in-depth stories on this topic, go to:
http://drcintli.blogspot.com/

For up-to-the minute stories, go to: http://tucsoncitizen.com/three-sonorans
Thanks
Sincerely

Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez
PO BOX 3812
Tucson, AZ 85722

COLUMN: http://drcintli.blogspot.com
ARCHIVED COLUMN OF THE AMERICAS

http://web.me.com/columnoftheamericas

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