-->
NOV. 26 TUSD DESEGREGATION PUBLIC FORUM – TUCSON ARIZONA
The first of three public forums is now in the books. More reporting on this later. Comments can be emailed to the "Special Court Master" by midnight Wed Nov 28 at: To comment directly to the court: http://168.174.252.75/usp/index.asp
The following document is one that most of our community is signing on to. People/organizations are encouraged to sign on to it also. See end of this post for instructions on how to do this.
Declaration of Intellectual Warriors
November 26, 2012
Created by:
Chicano Literature After School Studies program
Tucson High M.E.Ch.A
University of Arizona M.E.CH.A
U.N.I.D.O.S
Declaration of Intellectual Warriors
Dear Special Master Hawley,
We, the youth belonging to the Chicano Literature After School Studies program
(C.L.A.S.S.), Tucson High M.E.Ch.A, University of Arizona M.E.CH.A, and U.N.I.D.O.S.,
along with community input, collectively submit the following response addressing the
proposed TUSD Unitary Status Plan:
Restoration of Mexican American Studies
The new Mexican American Indigenous Studies program must be built on the foundation of the
previous program that had demonstrated quantitative and qualitative measures of success.
Therefore, the implementation of the Mexican American Indigenous Studies program and the
other Ethnic Studies Programs must take budgetary priority over the implementation of the
Multicultural Program.
Expansion of Ethnic Studie.
With the expansion and implementation of the new Mexican American Indigenous Studies and
African American Studies, we demand that Native American, Asian American, and Middle
Eastern American Studies be included in the plan. Core level curriculum will be essential for
these courses. We believe that all ethnic groups should have a chance to develop their cultural
identity by learning the contributions their people have made in the United States, as well as their
experiences in this country.
Core vs. Elective
All Ethnic Studies course must be considered as core English and core Social Studies classes, as
opposed to Elective credits.
Women’s Studies and LGBTQ Studies (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer)
In every section of the Ethnic Studies curriculum there will be an emphasis on the perspective
and contributions regarding gender, women, and the LGBTQ community.
K-8 Expansion
It is imperative that all of the Ethnic Studies programs be expanded to all learning levels. We
reaffirm the decision to expand the programs from K-12 grade levels and expect that the newly
developed African American, Native American, Asian American, and Middle Eastern American
courses be held to the same standard.
Directors
The position of Coordinator of Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Pedagogy needs to be
changed to a Director’s position. In addition, there should be multiple directors (i.e., one
representing Latino, and one representing African American Studies), with each Director having
appropriate teaching experience in the field of study s/he will be directing, and each reflecting the
ethnic background of the community s/he serves.
Public Hiring of Directors
The hiring process of the Directors of Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Pedagogy must
include representatives of the community who are former Ethnic Studies students and teachers
because of their unique expertise and experience with culturally responsive curriculum and
pedagogy. These community members must also have decision-making power in the hiring of the
directors.
Community Decision-making Power
To ensure grassroots participation, we demand the creation of a community committee with
formal representatives and full voting powers be established, that takes part in the following
areas and decisions:
-
The hiring process of the Directors of Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Pedagogy,
and other staff.
-
Curriculum
-
Course creation
-
And Overall USP Implementation and Accountability
The district must ensure formal representation, with full voting powers, to:
-
C.L.A.S.S.
-
M.E.C.h.A.
-
U.N.I.D.O.S.
-
Parent
-
Community member
-
Former MAS teacher
Naming
Each program Director (i.e. Mexican American Indigenous, African American, Native
American, Asian American, and Middle Eastern Studies) must have the authority to name her/his
corresponding program as s/he sees fit in reflecting the cultural relevance of the curriculum.
Capacity for new classes
A course involving culturally relevant pedagogy must be available at every high school. As
enrollment demands indicate the need for additional courses, additional courses must be
established. The establishment of an Ethnic Studies Class shall be determined by the number of
students requesting the class, not by the set number of previously established classes. The
number of students in a class should not exceed thirty students; allowing more than thirty
students in one class is detrimental to the learning environment.
Censorship
The Unitary Status Plan must promote a pedagogy and curriculum that is free from censorship.
Teachers must have the freedom to teach all aspects of the literature and history called for in the
curriculum.
English Language Learners (ELL)
The Unitary Status Plan must limit the segregation of ELLs to no more than two hours per day.
Interaction between ELLs and their English-speaking peers promotes ELLs' acquisition of
English and fosters a shared sense of community among all students, while extended segregation
creates social divisions and restricts ELLs' opportunities to acquire English in real-world
situations.
Dual Language Programs
The Unitary Status Plan must also recognize and include Dual Language (DL) classes as
Advanced Learning Experiences. Dual Language programs provide academic enrichment and
offer the same kind of rigorous and challenging instruction found in GATE and IB programs. Moreover, DL programs have a greater capacity to serve ELLs and are more likely to positively affect a significant portion of the ELL population.
Discipline
Students guilty of minor infractions shall not be subject to removal from class as a part of their
punishment, whether through in-school suspensions or out-of-school suspensions. Humiliation
and demeaning disciplinary tactics must be prohibited.
Restorative Justice
Restorative Practices must be used as stated in the Unitary Status Plan in order to promote
accountability, while building a healthy, positive, constructive, and supportive school
environment for every student. TUSD must not resort to police, border patrol, or Juvenile Hall as
means of disciplinary action.
Transportation
TUSD is responsible for the providing school bus transportation for all students. Students must
be provided with school buses before and after school. Providing students with public
transportation vouchers is an inadequate form of transportation. The use of public transportation
extends the travel time from students, taking time from their studies.
Equal Time in Class
All schools of equivalent educational levels need to be in the classroom for the same amount of
time. Decreasing any schools meeting time creates disparities in the quality of education a
student receives.
No School Closures
TUSD proposes school closures that are disproportionately targeting Southside and Westside
area schools. This negatively impacts working class, students of color, and their families and
communities. It is impossible for TUSD to implement a Unitary Status Plan if it finds solutions
in closing down our schools. We ask that the USP clearly state that no school closures are
acceptable.
Supervising of the Implementation of the Unitary Status Plan
Students enrolled in TUSD schools and Ethnic Studies courses must have the same right as other
community members to play an active role in monitoring the district’s implementation of the
Unitary Status Plan. Their active participation in the monitoring process will be a key factor in
keeping TUSD in compliance with the Unitary Status Plan.
Conclusion
As students, we are clear that in order for these court-ordered district changes to be genuine,
sustainable, and transformative, students and community members must be engaged in
meaningful ways at every level of the process. To restore respect, justice, and equity in our
educational experience and school district, we ask for the full integration of our student demands
in your Unitary Status Plan.
Mr. Hawley, we, the students await a detailed response to all our points above.
With Gratitude & Sincerity,
Chicano Literature After School Studies program,
Tucson High M.E.Ch.A,
University of Arizona M.E.CH.A,
U.N.I.D.O.S
***************
The following are my comments from the Nov 26, 2012 forum.
Cualli Yohualli Dr. Hawley:
Ne hua no Toca Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez. I am a media
scholar and an assistant professor in Mexican American Studies at the
University of Arizona. Welcome to Shuckshon – to Tlamanalco: the place where
offerings are left.
There’s been a lot of talk in this country about an
impending fiscal cliff. If we are going to use metaphors tonight, here in
Tucson, Arizona, we’re facing a moral cliff. Yet, as you well know, our
community has gone through perilous quick sand and explosive mine fields just
to get to this point.
Today, the issue before us is segregation. Yes, it’s the end
of 2012 and we are still talking about segregation, disparate funding, unequal
schools, substandard education for the majority… and a conscious attempt by the
state and by TUSD to destroy that which works for our students: The district’s
highly successful Mexican American Studies Department.
The most pressing issue on its face appears to be one driven
by the region’s demographics. It only appears that way because both the state
and TUSD and its school board have been operating in an apartheid manner… that
is but another term for segregation, except it is applied when the minority
attempts to impose its will on the majority. Statewide we know that students of
color are now the majority in public schools, especially in the lower grades,
and in Tucson specifically, we know that also to be true at even higher
percentages. The politics of apartheid reigns supreme here in this godforsaken
desert.
But let me reiterate; the issues before us are not about
demographics but about what is moral. The proposed desegregation plan deals
with a number of issues, as it should. So let me simply address a few of them.
The effort to destroy Mexican-American Studies/Ethnic Studies in this state has
been nothing short of immoral.
The proposed plan appears to affirm the success of Raza
Studies. Yes, that’s what it was called before the nasty politics of this state
forced administrators to capitulate and call it something palatable to
bureaucrats. And then the state, and then TUSD, proceeded to dismantle it,
decapitate it, then destroy it. Incidentally, every scientific study affirms
the success of MAS, including the latest UA Cabrera, Marx & Milem Study,
completed this summer of 2012.
Throughout all this time, the state has always been clear –
via Tom Horne and Mr. John Huppenthal – that the state would destroy MAS… But
the TUSD board and the superintendent, under the guise that they wanted to
improve MAS/Ethnic Studies, not only facilitated the destruction of MAS, but
then created a multicultural initiative in its place. Very disingenuous.
As you know, TUSD has objected to the draft proposal for the
desegregation plan… and they did this with godspeed on Nov 9, the same day the draft
plan was made public. In their objection, first, they say that there are no
vestiges of segregation at TUSD, and that even if there were, their
multicultural initiative – which is untried, untested, unfounded, etc. – is
their solution.
Isn't that special…. The state and TUSD colluded to destroy
the nation’s leading program and department – one which had proven beyond a
reasonable doubt that it is a successful academic program – and then they give
us an untried model – and essentially tell you and tell us, the parents and the
children of this district, to go away… and to simply trust them. This is highly
disturbing. Since 1978, hundreds of millions of desegregation dollars have
flowed from the federal government to make things right in Tucson. It appears
to have gone to everything, but desegregation.
This time, we have a chance to ensure that desegregation
funds go to restoring Mexican-American Studies, solidifying it and then
expanding it… as the draft plan essentially advocates, to every high school and
to every middle and elementary school in the district. Once this is in place,
the district can move on to create that multicultural initiative. If these
funds are used properly, the district’s budget crises notwithstanding, there
should be no impediment for TUSD to restore MAS, though now our community is
calling for Mexican American Indigenous Studies (MAIS).
If it sounds like I do not trust TUSD, that is not true; it
is our community that does not trust TUSD. And we have good reason. TUSD has
brought about this distrust upon itself, with continual deceptions, distortions
and a literal distrust of our community. It has even assaulted our community,
educationally, culturally and even physically. Some in our community have been
beaten, others arrested, this while our views have been thoroughly ignored and demeaned.
We know that a new school board majority awaits us. From all
indications, this new majority are longtime supporters of our beloved MAS
department. So we do trust that they will step forward and put the interests of
the students first, before politics.
In this community – in Tlamanalco – we trust our youths for
it is they that have had the burden of fighting for the rights of our entire
community. Our community has entrusted them with the drafting of a document: Declaration
of Intellectual Warriors. My statements are in support of it. That is our offering.
A document that rejects segregation of
any kind, especially against Tucson’s American Indian students – who are essentially ignored in
this draft proposal.
Finally, I wish to state that I am a member of the Arizona
Ethnic Scholar’s Network, The National Association of Chicana/Chicano Scholars
and the National Association of Ethnic Studies Scholars and Raza Studies
Now/Plan de Los Angeles. All these have long supported Tucson’s MAS program and
support its restoration and expansion.
Tlazocamati huel miac
– Thank you very much
********************************************
There is still time to comment: To comment directly to the court:
http://168.174.252.75/usp/index.asp
You can also access the plan via this document. Also see this document as to where to send comments, etc. Click on document to enlarge.:
