Arizona Bans Ethnic Studies for K-12th Students

In May, Gov. Jan Brewer signed a law banning the state’s schools from teaching ethnic studies classes, defined as history, anthropology and literature courses designed to teach the stories, histories, struggles and triumphs of people of color through their own unique perspectives. 

Specifically, the law targets Mexican-American studies programs taught in Tucson schools, where 60 percent of the students are of Mexican descent. The bill (HB2281) passed by the Legislature states that schools will lose state funding if they offer any courses that “promote the overthrow of the U.S. government, promote resentment of a particular race or class of people, are designed primarily for students of a particular ethnic group or advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals.” This law will cut the Tucson school district’s budget by $36 million a year if they continue to teach ethnic studies courses.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, who wrote part of the law, said the ethnic studies classes were “dividing kids up by race” and teaching students that “the entire governmental system is solely the product of the white power structure”.

Supporters of ethnic studies courses in Arizona told The New York Times that the program does not violate federal laws or promote treason but the courses “offers factual information; for example in the Mexican-American Studies program, an American history course explores the role of Hispanics in the Vietnam War, and a literature course emphasizes Latino authors. The students learn, for example, that Arizona was once part of Mexico, and that in the 1960s Chicano radicals called for reclaiming the land."

Ethnic Studies' Origins in Civil-Rights Movement

	The subject "ethnic studies" has roots in the Civil Rights movement, which saw increased self-awareness among people of color.

First developed out of the civil-rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which saw a growing self-awareness of people of color such as African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Latino-Americans and American Indians, ethnic studies courses are now taught in high schools and on college campuses across the United States.

The first ethnic studies course grew out of a student-led strike in 1968 at San Francisco State University, which among other things demanded an increase in recruitment of minority students, faculty and staff. Courses aim to address the role of minorities in American history, and while early ethnic studies classes focused on racism and oppression of minority groups, the field now includes the celebration of cultural achievements in music, film, television, politics and the arts.

Arizona's Uneasy Relationship With Immigrant History

	Many people have protested the ethnic studies law, including this man who participated in a sit-in at the Arizona state house.

Arizona has had a tumultuous relationship with its large Mexican immigrant population. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there are more than 460,000 undocumented immigrants in the state. In 2008, the estimated number of illegal immigrants (11.9 million) surpassed individuals who entered the country legally.

In April, Arizona passed the nation’s strictest immigration law, known as S.B. 1070. While federal law requires certain immigrants to register with the government and carry their documents at all times, Arizona's law makes it a misdemeanor crime to not have these documents and puts pressure on those sheltering, hiring and transporting immigrants illegally. Arizona police also have the authority to determine the person’s immigration status during a lawful stop, detention or arrest.

Supporters of the law believe it will ensure the safety and security of Arizonians. But opponents of the bill believe it promotes and legalizes racial profiling. A national Rasmussen Poll indicated that 60 percent of Americans were in favor of the bill. Some aspects of the law are being challenged in court.