“Save Ethnic Studies” objects to audit of MAS
by David Safier
The Save Ethnic Studies group just put out a news release objecting to the upcoming audit of TUSD's Mexican American Studies program. Much of the argument against the audit is on legal grounds: interviews with students could violate their rights to privacy under the Family, Educational and Privacy Rights Act of 1974; and since MAS teachers and the program director have pending litigation concerning similar issues, the audit sponsored by the ADE will be problematic if it tries to communicate with "a represented party."
These types of issues are way above my pay grade, so I'm including the entire news release after the jump.
A comment about Utah’s “We’re not Arizona” approach to immigration
by David Safier I'm presenting this without comment or judgement, because I don't know anything about the source, but I find it to be interesting commentary on the Mormon Church, conservative politics and immigration. The writer is Joanna Brooks on the Religion Dispatches Magazine blog. She describes herself as someone who "grew up in a … Read more
Movie Premiere of ‘Precious Knowledge’ – Free Screening Thursday
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Premier of "Precious Knowledge" "Precious Knowledge is the gripping, current-headlines account of Tucson High School students and teachers forming the front line of an epic civil rights battle to save their Mexican American Studies classes." View trailer HERE Thursday, March 24Doors Open at 6:00PMScreening at 7:00PM Fox Theater17 West Congress Street Screening … Read more
GOP Anti-Abortion Bill to Turn IRS Agents Into ‘Abortion Cops’
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Conservatives really hate taxes, and they really hate those "intrusive big government" IRS agents even more, but if they can turn those IRS agents into "Abortion Cops" for the anti-abortion jihadists of the Christian Taliban, well hey now, that's a different story! Let's victimize sexual assault and rape victims a second time, this time … Read more
The Fairness in Taxation Act
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: I previously suggested this idea at the state level by initiative. I am still waiting to hear from the Grand Pooh-Bahs responsible for organizing and raising the funds to pay for any initiative. A Way Forward: Initiative, Referendum and Recall: Do you want a truly progressive income tax structure that is fair … Read more
Mark Stegeman’s op ed on Ethnic Studies
by David Safier Mark Stegeman, TUSD's governing board president, has a wide-ranging op ed about his vision for the future of ethnic studies in today's Star. I want to make some general comments, which I may expand on at another time. Full disclosure: Stegeman is a friend, and he and I have talked recently about … Read more
Remembering the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Friday, March 25 marks the 100 year anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, New York’s landmark industrial disaster that killed 146 of the factory's 500 employees, most of them young immigrant women and girls of Italian and European Jewish descent. The tragedy sparked a nationwide debate about workers rights, representation and … Read more
