For example, HB 2281 bans public schools (ostensibly including universities) from teaching classes that are "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" and that foster "resentment toward a race or class of people."
Gosh...I guess that means that all those Arizona teachers have to TOTALLY revamp their history courses (US, European, and world)...and their art courses...and their music courses...and their English Lit courses...and their science courses...dang.
Check out some of these books for an alternative perspective on history and to see how schools have been "designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group" for years:
Howard Zinn--A People's History of the United States
James W. Loewen--Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
James W. Loewen--Teaching What Really Happened
Also in this law, Arizona declares it wants its people to be treated like individuals (H.B. 2281 lines 6, 16)...good thing they have a new immigration law that targets large groups of people indiscriminately and regardless of any INDIVIDUALISM that may exist within those groups. Oh yeah...and the new rules say you can't teach in Arizona schools if you are from "BAHston" or "New Joisey" (The Arizona Department of Education is now screening teachers and suspending/reassigning those that are found to have accents). I get what they are supposedly trying to accomplish with this...but really though?
At least I can narrow down my potential retirement spots. Flagstaff is definitely off my list.
¡Hasta luego!
ps. Gov. Brewer might have signed the thing, but don't forget she serves an electorate and a law doesn't get to her desk without the state legislator
UPDATE (09/27/11): Policy may be ending.
See Also:
White History Month
What is a post-9/11 American?
Grateful for God's Favor
Freedom Writers
