The Star reports on Hicks’ Daily Show appearance, then tears him a new one in the editorial

by David Safier

Man!

When I got up this morning, I planned to write more about Hicks' comic stylings on the Daily Show and add some other comments Hicks made earlier, like the way he connected TUSD middle school students going into a UA Mexican American Studies class to the alleged sexual abuse at Penn State. "And then I'll write," I thought, "and then I'll write . . ."

But first, I open the Star, take a few sips of coffee . . . and there on Page 2 is an Alexis Huicochea article about Hicks' Daily Show appearance — a decent piece of reporting — followed a few pages later by another Alexis Huicochea article about Sean Arce not having his contract renewed — again a decent article which includes the award Arce received from the Zinn Education Project. So far, so good.

And then — BAM! An editorial with the following subhead and head:

His remarks on ethnic studies, slavery embarrassed himself, the city, TUSD
Hicks' sorry lack of knowledge was plain to see – and on national TV

The more I read, the more I kept thinking, "Great stuff! I have almost nothing to add."

Almost nothing (though I'm sure I won't be able to restrain myself later today). Let me just add one quote from Hicks on a friendly website, the Arizona Daily Independent, where he is given all the rope he needs to hang defend himself against the Recall Hicks efforts. At one point he talks about how important it was to get rid of the MAS program.

"This is about kids," said Hicks. "This is about the exploitation of children by political predators."

He just can't stop himself from comparing the MAS administrators and teachers to sexual predators.

Excerpts from the Star editorial are below the fold — though you should really just read the whole thing.

Here are some excerpts from the Star editorial:

Oh, where to even begin. At the point where TUSD Governing Board member Michael Hicks states on national television: "I base my thoughts on hearsay from others."?

Perhaps this: "Rosa Clark did not take out a gun and go on to a bus and hold up everybody."

[snip]

Hicks embarrassed himself, Tucson and pretty much all of Arizona with his performance. Hicks' words, in any context, are mind-boggling.

[snip]

Hicks demonstrates, with cringe-worthy perfection, that he has no real clue about the MAS courses, and a wide array of other topics a reasonable person might expect a school board member to understand.

[snip]

The "Daily Show" correspondent asks why MAS is the only program affected by the state law that essentially bans ethnic studies courses. The law, Hicks says, "was strictly written for one course, which is the Mexican American Studies."

Madrigal asks a question that in its simplicity reveals the true hypocrisy of the anti-MAS law, which, according to its language, prohibits courses that fuel students' resentment of another race or group of people. Madrigal asks Hicks to pretend he's a black student – how would Hicks teach him about slavery without creating resentment toward white people?

[snip]

"Slavery was a … slavery was a …" Hicks stammers. "The white man did bring over the Africans …"
Madrigal asks, What kind of jobs did we have then?

"The jobs that you guys did was basically slavery jobs," Hicks said.

We feel it uncomfortably necessary to point out that "slavery jobs" aren't actual jobs.

[snip]

Wind Hicks up and he keeps talking, even while admitting in the middle of his verbal meanderings that he doesn't know these things firsthand.

Hicks has, unfortunately, demonstrated his lack of knowledge about the MAS program, about the basics of American history and, most of all, his lack of judgment.