Tucson – RI Future

Click here to check out my recent interview with Nuala Cabral and Denice Frohman of FAAN Mail, a Philadelphia-based media activist group that has launched a social media campaign (on Twitter, primarily, #WishiLearnedinHS), “Wished I Learned in High School,” in response to policies in Arizona restricting ethnic studies programs. Cabral is graduate of Moses Brown School in Providence, RI.

(PROVIDENCE, RI; PHILADELPHIA, PA; TUCSON, AZ) – When does learning about non-Europeans/non-Whites in the US constitute promoting resentment toward a race or class?

When does learning about the development of the US and manifest destiny and those who opposed such policies cross the line to become promoting the overthrow of the US government?

When did a class providing awareness about the societal and civic contributions of one of this country’s minority/ethnic groups become illegal?

These are some of the questions being asked by activists, students, and journalists all over the country, though the answer to number three might be more clear: it’s been over a year since the governor of Arizona signed into law House Bill 2281, “which prohibits a school district or charter school (in Arizona) from including in its program of instruction any courses or classes that promote the overthrow of the United States government, promote resentment toward a race or class of people, are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group, or advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals.”

Yet it is recent events that have re-stirred up the questions, concerns, and heated debates on the topic: the final termination of the Mexican American Studies program in Tucson, Arizona – and the removal of corresponding books from Tucson schools that are now part of a list of banned literature.

Critics of the legislation say that the policies curtail teacher creativity, and call the law an attempt to further silence and marginalize people of color in a state becoming infamous for what many view as one anti-immigrant or anti-Brown policy after another. Supporters of the state law – and the recent move by Tucson officials – cite the Mexican American Studies program as an example of a program that promotes one racial/ethnic group over all others, and say that programs like these promote a victimization mentality.

But critics aren’t buying it, and they’re not standing by quietly. Two such activists are Nuala Cabral and Denice Frohman of FAAN Mail (Fostering Activism and Alternatives Now!), www.faanmail.wordpress.com. FAAN Mail is a media literacy/media activism project formed by women of color to promote pro-active audiences and creative alternatives.

Cabral and Frohman are based in Philadelphia, MA, but they’re not letting geography stop their actions. On the contrary, Cabral, Frohman and the FAAN Mail community have launched a social media campaign (on Twitter, primarily, #WishiLearnedinHS), “Wished I Learned in High School,” to collect and share stories from people who can speak to the benefits they’ve gained from Ethnic Studies programs and to the regrets they feel about not getting enough exposure to the stories of people of color, women, LGBT writers, and other voices in their K-12 years.

Cabral and Frohoman say they are outraged that racist/conservative ideology has prevailed over data on programs that have been proven to be effective for students of color (who are at more risk for dropping out), and bothered that what hasn’t been acknowledged is the idea that there are already preferential treatments built into the educational system – those that favor the stories, ideas, history and perspectives of wealthy, western, white men.

Click here to check out my audio podcast/interview with Cabral and Frohman, which was recorded and originally aired on Sonic Watermelons on bsrlive.com on Wednesday, February 1. Click here to see a short video about some of the on-the-ground student and community organizing.

Or check out the links below to learn more about the FAAN Mail campaign and the Arizona saga.

http://faanmail.wordpress.com/wishilearnedinhs-effort/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_studies
http://www.thenation.com/blog/165989/challenging-arizonas-ban-ethnic-studies
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-moshman/did-arizona-ban-ethnic-st_b_816713.html
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2010/05/ethnic-studies-banned-arizona
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_SB_1070

Rhode Islanders have a special opportunity to express solidarity with young people and educators in Tuscon, AZ who are standing up to their state’s xenophobic and racist laws. On Sunday, January 15th, feature length documentary, Precious Knowledge, will be screened at Renaissance Church located at 77 Reservoir Ave in Providence. Precious Knowledge, which will be aired on PBS affiliates across the country this spring, chronicles the real-life, current civil rights struggle by students and educators to save their Mexican American ethnic studies classes in Tuscon, AZ. Screenings will be at 3pm and 5:30pm with a discussion in between with special guest, Tuscon High School ethnic studies teacher Curtis Acosta! There is a $10 suggested donation and proceeds will go to benefit the Save Ethnic Studies legal defense fund.

Watch the trailer:

As most know, Arizona has passed some of the most restrictive laws in the United States targeting and criminalizing undocumented immigrants, many of who are of Mexican descent. A less known detail of Arizona’s attack on immigrant populations, and Mexican Americans in particular, is Arizona’s state superintendent of public instruction Tom Horne’s crusade to end the Tuscon Unified School District’s Mexican American ethnic studies program. Last year, the New York Times ran an article about Horne’s attack and students’ and educators’ struggle to maintain their program of study that focuses on Latino/a history, literature, and culture, and includes examining the history of oppression Latino/a populations have faced in the United States. The struggle over Tuscon’s ethnic studies program has continued for the past year, and just yesterday the most recent development surfaced when the TUSD’s school board voted 4-1 to immediately cease all Mexican American (but not other) ethnic studies classes for fear of losing state aid.

In the meantime, Save Ethnic Studies, is pursuing a federal court case to declare the law criminalizing TUSD’s Mexican American studies classes unconstitutional. Also yesterday, as reported via an email from Curtis Acosta, “Hours before the [TUSD school board] vote, Ninth Circuit Court Judge A. Wallace Tashima rejected the state’s request to dismiss our lawsuit claiming the law as unconstitutional and it continues to move forward. To be more specific, the students in the lawsuit were acknowledged to have standing, but the teachers at this time do not. This is great news since we are all working together for the best interest of our students and their future. My colleagues and I are more committed than ever to help the student-plaintiffs in every way possible. Thus, Save Ethnic Studies is still moving forward in hopes that we can still overturn this law in federal court and it could be as early as this spring. It is important, now more than ever, to visit our website and spread the knowledge that we will need financial support to win this case.”

It is more important than ever to support our sisters and brothers in Tuscon. What better way to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and express our solidarity in recognition that “we are all Arizona” than to attend the Precious Knowledge screenings on Sunday! I hope to see you there.

For additional information about the documentary screening, contact Kim Hewson at hewsonpaw@gmail.com.

Tag: Tucson

Philadelphia-based Feminist Media Activist Group Led By Providence Native, Nuala Cabral, Launches Campaign Supporting Ethnic Studies in Arizona

Remember MLK’s Legacy this Weekend by Supporting Civil Rights Struggles in AZ!