Editor: We have been following
the events following the banning of the Mexican American Studies Program in the Tucson
Unified School District in Arizona in our journal, on our blog and in several
panels and forums that were videotaped and made available to our readers. See “The Hypocrisy of Racism: Arizona's Movement towards State-Sanctioned Apartheid” by Augustine F. Romero, “DangerousMinds In Tucson: The Banning of Mexican American Studies and Critical ThinkingIn Arizona” by Curtis Acosta, “Precious Knowledge: An Interview with Film Director,Ari Palos, on April 15, 2013” by Celina Meza, and “Keeping the Flames at Bay:The Interplay between Federal Oversight and State Politics in Tucson’s MexicanAmerican Studies Program,” by Leslie A. Locke and Ann E. Blankenship.
A trial date has now
been set to challenge the constitutionality of these actions. Below is an e-mail that we received that will bring our
readers up to date on events.
FROM RECENT E-MAIL:
April 13, 2017
Mexican American Studies Trial
Tucson, Arizona
The legal challenge to the constitutionality of the State of
Arizona's banning of Mexican American Studies in the Tucson Unified School
District has been scheduled for trial in Tucson, Arizona. Trial will be held on
June 26-30, 2017 and continue on July 17-21, 2017.
The MAS case contends that the actions of the State of
Arizona violated the Equal Protection and First Amendment rights of the school
districts Mexican American students. This includes the enactment of the statute
HB 2281 and the subsequent enforcement of the law compelling TUSD to eliminate
the MAS department, all classes, curriculum and course material.
The anti-MAS law was passed and signed into law shortly
after Arizona's infamous SB1070 anti-immigrant law was passed. Both are
products of the anti-Mexican sentiments that have been rampant throughout the
state. The MAS case was filed October 18, 2010. In the initial proceeding the
district court found one of the four provisions in the statute
unconstitutional. After a successful appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of
Appeals, the case was remanded for trial on the Equal Protection and First
Amendment claims.
Trial will be held in Tucson before the Hon. Judge Tashima
and is scheduled to last two weeks. It is open to the public and supporters of
Mexican American Studies, Ethnic and Gender studies are invited to attend.
For more information about the trial and attending please
contact tucsonmastrial@gmail.com.
MAS Trial -Tucson
Anita Fernández-Information Coordinator
