Native American and Mexican author's books banned in AZ

[critter - a white non-ndn person]

TUCSON -- Simon Ortiz, world acclaimed poet, author and professor, responded to the banning of books by Chicano and Native American authors. Tucson schools seized the books from students in their classrooms after the board voted to forbid Mexican American Studies on Tuesday.

Ethnic Studies students march in honor of Martin Luther King today, Monday, in Tucson, protesting the decision by Tucson schools to forbid Mexican American Studies and ban books by Chicano and Native American authors.

The Tucson Unified School District board voted to succumb to the state of Arizona's threat to extract millions of dollars if the classes continued. Students said it was as if they were in Nazi Germany when the textbooks were seized from their classrooms. Crying, students said they were unable to sleep after the books were seized, including a book of photos of Mexico.

Simon Ortiz said, "I am very stunned and very shocked and very pissed off the Tucson Unified School District would ban Mexican American Studies and books like Rethinking Columbus: The Next Five Hundred Years that includes works by Indigenous (Native) authors Leslie Marmon Silko, N. Scott Momaday, Winona LaDuke, Buffy St. Marie, Joy Harjo, Wendy Rose, Joseph Bruchac, Jimmie Durham, Peter Blue Cloud, Luther Standing Bear, Gail Trembly, Jose Barreiro, Phillip Martin, Suzanne Shown Harjo. The banning explicitly and pointedly shows it is not only Mexican American Studies and people and so-called illegal immigrants that are targeted but Indigenous studies and people as a whole" Simon J. Ortiz, Regents Professor, ASU Department of English; American Indian

http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/brenda-norrell/2012/01/simon-ortiz-shocked-banning-native-books-arizona

[critter - a white non-ndn person]

And this..

"Much of what Dr. Acuña has done in his life is now under assault in Arizona where right-wing officials have clamped down on classes teaching public school students about the history of white oppression directed against Native Americans and Chicanos. Claiming that this teaching of history stirs anti-white resentments, the state officials forced the banning of certain books and termination of the classes."

from this site: http://www.readersupportednews.org/opinion2/275-42/9628-arizona-shuts-mexican-studies-classes

[LittleOldMan]

Decisions such as this inflame rather than quench.  While I might be angered or disgusted by someone else's views free speech must be guarded at all times.  Perhaps the ACLU will take it up.  "LittleOldMan"   

[critter - a white non-ndn person]

Yes. Except I am not seeing the protests and outrage over this that there should be.. of course,
I do not get national news, so maybe it is. Free speech is important, but also, to be going in
and shutting down classes and forbidding "History" to be taught.. ? I'm sure if they could they'd also
remove all references to black slavery as well.. guess it's a little late for that though.

I think the fed gov should step in here, and these people should be prosecuted and put in jail.

[earthw7]

Many Indian people have spoke out on this subject
Susan Harjo is working bon this issues,
Never trust the governor he is not our friend

[Epiphany]

Debbie Reese at http://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/ is working actively spreading the word.

Also Three Sonorans http://tucsoncitizen.com/three-sonorans/category/nerd-rule/education/ethnic-studies-education/

Great video: Wet Books: Smuggling Banned Literature Back Into Arizona http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-n3tvPz5ak

No History is Illegal http://www.teacheractivistgroups.org/tucson/

A Look Inside the Classes http://www.preciousknowledgefilm.com/teachin/