Arizona ends ethnic studies program

Well, Arizona did it again. First the illegal immigration bill and now the gov has now signed a bill aimed to eliminate Tuscon's ethnic studies program. The requirements of the law don't seem all that crazy - schools would lose some state funding if they run programs that are "designed primarily for students of particular ethnic groups, advocate ethnic solidarity or promote resentment of a race or a class of people". But the problem lies in the basis for this decision and the act of interpreting these requirements. The foundational argument for this law is that children should be taught to treat each other as individuals rather than members of groups and that these programs create resentment towards other groups - especially whites. (Funny how white folks are always quick to point out programs like this that they see as creating a negative stereotype of themselves, but fail to examine the broader curriculum that creates and reinforces negative stereotypes of others). Now it is important to ensure that students learn to see others as individuals, but learning this does not necessarily mean that students cannot or should not learn about their own and others' cultural and ethnic traditions. Such learning can go a long way toward an understanding of others as individuals rather than reinforcing group divisions. This is probably why the language of the law, as quoted above, is fairly soft, seeming to allow ethnic studies programs that do not 'promote resentment'. Of course, this leads to the problem of interpretation - a problem which will likely have to play itself out in court. What sort of program does "advocate ethnic solidarity or promote resentment of a race or a class of people"?