Zinn Education Project: D.C. Teacher Tiffany Mitchell, signs pledge during class to share commitments with her students.

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On Zinn Educatin Project facebook page:

Save Mexican-American Studies in Tucson

Teacher Tiffany Mitchell, Cesar Chavez Public Charter School in Washington D.C., signed the No History is Illegal campaign pledge during class so she could share the commitment with her students. The pledge addresses the attacks on the Mexican American Studies program in Tucson, Arizona. Mitchell and her students plan to engage in lessons about the legislation and learn how they can support their peers in Tucson. She will share more stories and photos in the weeks ahead.
Have you signed the pledge? http://www.teacheractivistgroups.org/tucson/pledgeThe well-respected and successful Mexican-American Studies program in Tucson has been ordered to close and book are being removed from classrooms, including Rethinking Columbus.

Here are some key articles and statements.We will continue to post more:

Statements American Library Association: http://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=3157 Tucson teacher Curtis Acosta: http://rethinkingschoolsblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/28/behind-the-curtain-in-tucson-a-letter-from-curtis-acosta/

Articles and Interviews Salon.com: http://www.salon.com/2012/01/13/whos_afraid_of_the_tempest/singleton/

Rethinking Schools: http://rethinkingschoolsblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/rethinking-columbus-banned-in-tucson/

American Indians in Children’s Literature: http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2012/01/teaching-critical-thinking-in-arizona.html http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-biggers/tucson-mexican-american-studies_b_1199794.html?ref=tw

Students speak out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OUSbELFpX8

Radio interview with Jeff Biggers: http://bit.ly/zsUObi

For more info: American Indians in Children’s Literature: http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/ (new articles almost everyday)

Save Ethnic Studies: http://saveethnicstudies.org/

Precious Knowledge film trailer: http://www.dosvatos.com/InProduction/

Christine Sleeter – Ethnic Studies and the Struggle in Tucson

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by Christine Sleeter, Education Week 2.15.12

Excerpt from article:

“The success of Tucson’s program is supported by social-psychology research documenting that black and Latino students who have a strong, positive ethnic identity and an understanding of racism and how it can be challenged tend to take education more seriously than those who do not. The National Education Association commissioned me to review data-based research on the impact of ethnic studies on students. Of the 16 studies I was able to locate, 15 found a positive impact on student learning.”

To read the entire article, go to: Edweek.org

Idiotas: No History Is Illegal

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By Abby Zimet on Commondreams.org

Arizona’s racist move to ban ethnic studies programs – aka – real history including that of brown-skinned people – and a long list of “objectionable” books pertaining to same – aka any books they don’t like, ranging from the seminal Rethinking Columbus to award-winning novels – may have backfired. Along with a legal fight to reinstate them, there are a host of other actions: Activist teachers have launched a month-long initiative – “They say shut it down. We say spread it around.” – students are holding teach-ins and workshops, lists of the books are circulating, the American Library Association has blasted the move – “WHEREAS, ‘The freedom to read is essential to our democracy… No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.’ – and commentators are declaring themselves understandably weary of “enduring fools.”

For more, go to: http://www.commondreams.org/further/2012/02/13-0