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Tucson High is the oldest operating public high school in the state of Arizona. The short documentary played with The Art Institute of Tucson is located in one of the most beautiful areas of the country – Tucson, Arizona.Researchers in Tucson have gathered information about cultural practices
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Anyone who has been to high school knows that students learn in multiple ways. We learn mathematics, chemistry, and english. But we also learn art, literature, language and critical thinking. We learn how to be in the world as aware and responsible citizens. This film portrays a high school, a high school teacher and a group of students who are learning about US history and about how to be thoughtful citizens, aware of the complexity of the society to which they must contribute. I applaud the students, and the teachers and the administrators as well as the filmmakers for tackling this important and uplifting subject.

I saw this short, and I affirm its message. The evidence is clear that students in these programs succeed: they learn critical thinking and writing skills that will help them go to college and become good citizens.

People, now is not the time to engage in petty racisms - as if this country was founded by and for 'whites' (who, it should be said, were not a group until the various Eastern European immigrants in the 1910-20s dropped their ethnic identities and helped create the category of 'white'). Now is the time to appreciate and make the best of difference in this country. It is the best route we have to making the US everything that it can be. And many Arizonans feel this way too: they live, side by side, in harmony, 'white' and brown, native and black.

To Publius:

The men and women who run the Ethnic Studies program are in the business of educating our youth, an important responsibility of our teachers, communities, and our nation, and I don’t think they are motivated by an inferiority complex.

Additionally, their program works (even Mr. Horne can not refute the data). The youngsters taking Ethnic Studies classes are getting excited about education, outscoring their peers on standardized tests (a cornerstone of Bush’s ‘No child left behind ’ program), graduating from high school, and then going on to college, worthy goals which should unite everyone, no matter what your political persuasion is.

And I do believe these students are preparing themselves to compete in the new global economy. One advantage is their language skills. Many of these students are bilingual, and some of are trilingual, a very useful skill in our global economy. They are also learning how to do research and prepare for college.

And WANGO, you are absolutely right, this short does not address “Americans at home losing jobs to those abroad and why”. It is a very short piece about students trying to keep their Ethnic Studies courses in the classroom.

From, Eren, . . . one of the makers

The Jews don't have this problem. Perhaps in your next "documentary" you can take a deep look as to why. Maybe the Mexicans can stand to learn a lesson from them and how they create their own community and structure without government help.

Clearly a group of like-minded friends logged on to leave comments that lavish silly praise on this short propoganda clip. The facts still remain. Ethnic studies is operated by pathetic little men who are angry at the world because they somehow feel inferior. They hijacked the public schools to provide them an outlet for their inferiority complex.

These men are hacks who call everyone else racists and fascists and wave bogus studies around to defend their hateful little turf.

Sorry. No silly little film clip can erase the truth or create some new reality. Stop wasting these kids time. Make them proud to be citizens of the greatest country yet concieved by man and prepare them to compete in the new global economy.

First of all, Mr. Horne, I find it interesting that you refer to yourself as 'the villain' in the film. Do you think that, in some way, your actions are unfair? As a Supt. of Education, I would think you would embrace an artistic and visually stunning film that shows the other side of your issue. But I can tell from reading your Open Letter to Tuscon Citizens, that you do not support teaching both sides of history. You obviously have some problems in your District that need to be addressed, but not by throwing the whole program out. With this do-or-die plan, you only perpetuate the notion of the 'white man's trap.'

I suggest that you step out of your 'pulpit' (as you call it) and make a documentary film expressing your point of view. I am sure that after you take the time to film citizens, watch the footage over and over in the editing room and finalize the film, you will learn about the process of documenting history.

Who will be your villain? Will you insult the intelligence of the viewer? Hopefully, you will learn that there are always two sides to every story. Our children need to be taught that in school and at home. Making that happen is your job and mine. Even when we don't have pulpits.

Hispanic electives are not going to provide the basis of knowledge for these students to obtain JOBS! Core curriculum will. Read World Wide Economy and see where the jobs are and where they are going. This film does not penetrate the ongoing situation of Americans at home losing jobs to those abroad and why. Too focused on "my block and me."

It's moving and effective when students tell us how they are learning and why education matters to them. A well done piece with spirit. It would be crazy to cut programs that work. Please, Mr. Horne, get back to the business of funding public education. The situation in Arizona is disastrous -surely you see that.

Tom is going to take a run for governor of AZ, and this is his way to get out the ultra-conservative and racist vote in some areas of the state. It backfired in Tucson and he probably won't return. Tucson has locally elected school boards that represent the will of the local population. Interference with that democratic process is not appropriate. The state Superintendent should be working to move AZ from 49th place in funding. Maybe that would get him some votes.

This definitely needs to be broadened into the community! We have to show how we affect our familias and our own communities, how these classes not only help us to know ourselves, our history and eachother better, but how it helps in involving us in the community both politically and actively... because of this class I'm able to give my barrio a voice, a voice that continues to grow with each new student we teach.
Anyone agreeing to our cause and this video is Chican@, you don't have to be 'hispanic' or 'latin@' or mexican to be chican@, it is a mindset! i'm very proud of everyone that helped in making this happen... we need more... a lot more!
Thank you raza studies and our maestros, you've helped my family, my husband and my daughter grow... thank you for continuing to be there and continuing to support and help us even after we graudated. No other program has the incentive to do this, nor the passion to carry it out.

Mr. Horne, if you wanted to hear "the other side" all you had to do was turn on every local Tucson new station, read every newspaper in syndication in the community, and listen every morning through the months of May through early July to the right-wing radio station on the airwaves here.
For hours on end "the other side" was constantly getting airplay.

'Mi Otro Yo' is the first form of independent media that is telling our side of the situation.
Does 4 minutes of accurate storytelling really intimidate you so much? Or is that just bad publicity in general?
And mind you, no man will ever be seen in a golden light when he is trying to abolish ethnic and cultural education in schools.

Frenchy, in a rose-tinted world that scenario works quite well, doesn't it?
The reality is a lot of parents and further past generations have all but lost their cultural identities too
all in order for them to fit the 2-dimensional mold of the great "American Melting Pot". We had such practices into play like the entire boarding school system, the essential ban of languages other than English, and the very designed removal of all historically accurate information concerning cultures and beliefs not deemed suitable for the expansion of Western Civilization.

Which now that we're digging all this up kind of makes SB 1108 come to mind...
Just an observation.

Often time parents who visit the classrooms of their sons and daughters in ethnic study courses learn for the first time themselves the history of their roots and culture.
And that makes for great family dinner conversation, Frenchy.

Eren and Ari, spectacular job on the film, showing such strong-willed youth make it seem there can be hope yet for the future of Arizona.
Thank you for all your hard work creating this.

I am not hispanic. This film touches me deepley. It is important to reach out for your roots and heritage, to be able to find information beyond your own little circle. When you live in the southwest, where a large percentage of the population is hispanica latin american studies elective should be available. It should have nothing to do with politics. This film is a fine example why we need to have ethnic studies.
Gabriella

In this beautiful documentary, students are engaged in their curriculum, which provides them with scholarly skills in order to further their education and humanizing ideals to help shed them of myopic point of views. Through these classes students have found their acceptance into academia and established their academic identity. Encouraging critical thinking and inspiring students is no reason to rob them from any program.

This film should be expanded on in order to reveal to the community how vital ethnic studies are to student success and the struggles there are in order to maintain such a program.

Personally, in watching this short clip and hearing such strong voices I feel so much inspiration and wisdom emerging from these students. This class and this program have so much life that reverberates from the staff, to our youth and to our community. As an untold story it is one in dire need of hearing. It is voice striving to give light on our past ignorant minds. We (as an alumni of this program) ignite not out of anger but of eagerness to create consciousness within our communities.

Nice documentary, we need this information to get out and a video is always a good way to do that in this day and age.

I am fully in support of Raza Studies as it has dramatically changed my educational outlook and has made me a stronger person. The knowledge I have gained is invaluable in a country where different races and cultures have been so severely misunderstood.

i learned my culture from spending time with my family and by being at the dinner table every night/i read books, watched films and went to the library to learn the history of my culture/the taxpayers did not foot the bill for things that are handed down from generation to generation.

TRADITION!

As the villain of this film, I wonder why it is considered good quality to give one side without the other. It is really an insult to the intelligence of the viewer. For those interested in the other side, www.azed.gov, click Horne's Speeches and Articles, under Open Letters, click Open Letter to the Citizens of Tucson.