The Importance Of Chicano Studies In Education

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2010 was a year that all Mexicans living in Arizona both adults and school students will dread for a long time. It was within a span of three weeks that they lost the right to move freely without suspicion and Chicano studies were banned in public school. Irrespective of the fact that Mexican students comprise almost half of all students in Arizona, the governor, Jan Brewer passed the law against learning their history which was viewed as discriminatory. Over the years, the American education system has promoted learning history of different groups which has been the backbone of bringing up Americans who respect each other as individuals but not on ethnicity. The state’s argument was that ethnic studies promoted segregation of students by teaching …show more content…
Students, staff and faculty of African American descent (regardless of color) experience subtle and not so subtle attacks in the classroom, in evaluations, and personnel actions." This is a true reflection of the Arizona state towards the Americans and immigrants of Mexican origin. Ethnic studies have in the past proved necessary in improving dialogue between different ethnic groups while at the same time promoting understanding (Rodriguez, …show more content…
Patriotism is not built on racial profiling and considering the milestones covered in the fight against racism, Arizona’s immigrant laws and banishment of Chicano studies takes America back and tells children of Mexican origin that they do not have a place in the society. Education has over the ‘dark days’ been a source of empowerment of the racially segregated and banning Mexicans from their history would not make Arizona any nationalistic. The main question that is left unanswered is how to teach the next generation of all races without alienating some of them.
The reaction of the students after signing the bill was massive walk outs from their schools, both middle and seniors in high school, creating a human chain protesting on the attack on the education (Barron & De Los Santos, 1974).). This uprising tells of the need, by European Americans trying to assert supremacy over other races which is historical. The historical injustices of racism reincarnated are perceived to advocate for the elimination of obstacles which in this case is the Chicano and other ethnic