AZ Judge: No Mexican-American Studies

An Arizona administrative judge ruled Wednesday that Mexican-American classes violate a new state law that prohibits ethnic-studies classes, upholding an earlier decision by the state school superintendent. Eleven teachers and two students from Tucson Unified Schools have requested to halt the implementation of the ban on ethnic-studies classes, which prohibits classes primarily designed for any one ethnic group or classes that “promote resentment toward a race or class of people.” Arizona schools superintendent John Huppenthal ruled the Tucson class violated the law in June, but has been challenged by those who say the class teaches valuable lessons in cultural history. A lawyer for the school-district officials said he was not surprised by the ruling, since “it confirms what we already knew that the state of Arizona wants to do, which is shut down Mexican-American studies.” The law is currently being challenged in federal court.