This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: summarizing content.(December 2017) |
Precious Knowledge | |
---|---|
Directed by | Ari Luis Palos |
Produced by | Eren Isabel McGinnis |
Edited by | Jacob Bricca; Bill Kersey(additional editing) |
Music by | Naïm Amor |
Production companies | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 75 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Precious Knowledge is a 2011 educational and political documentary that centers on the banning of the Mexican-American Studies (MAS) Program in the Tucson Unified School District of Arizona. The documentary was directed by Ari Luis Palos and produced by Eren Isabel McGinnis, the founders of Dos Vatos Productions. [2] [3]
Precious Knowledge interweaves the stories of students and teachers in the Mexican-American Studies (MAS) Program, also known as "la Raza Studies", at Tucson Magnet High School. It narrates the progression of legislative backlash arguing that the program teaches "anti-American" values, proposed by the former Arizona Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne. Proponents of the program argue that it allows students from all backgrounds to feel a connection with the history and culture of the indigenous Americas. Although the MAS Program was ultimately removed, MAS teachers and students challenged the banning at federal court. [ citation needed ]
Precious Knowledge received academic praise when it was screened at colleges across the country. [4] In 2011, the film won Audience Favorite and Special Jury Awards at the San Diego Latino Film Festival and Honorable Mention in the Best Documentary category at the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival. [5] In 2012, it won Premio Mesquite for Best Documentary at the Cine Festival in San Antonio, Texas. [6]
The film premiered on March 19, 2011 at the San Diego Latino Film Festival. Film producer Eren Isabel McGinnis grew up in this area and graduated from college at San Diego State University with a major in cultural anthropology. [ citation needed ] In addition to her personal ties with the city, McGinnis said San Diego was the perfect place to premiere the documentary due to the fact that “it’s a real important base for Chicano culture.” [7]
This article may contain an excessive amount of intricate detail that may interest only a particular audience.(December 2017) |
The film provides insight into the controversy surrounding the Mexican-American Studies (MAS), or Raza studies, program in Tucson, Arizona. In 1997, the Tucson Unified School District's governing board unanimously voted to create a Hispanic Studies Department in all of their schools, with the goal of lowering the Latino dropout rate. The department was renamed the Mexican American/ Raza studies program in 2002 and successfully improved the achievement rates of Latinos. [ citation needed ] Tucson Unified School District reported that the students taking ethnic studies classes showed significant improvements on standardized tests and the graduation rate among these students averaged 93%.
The framework of the classes taught in the Raza studies program is based on a social justice pedagogy that centers around searching for the truth and the concept of love. The film takes a look inside the classroom of two Raza studies program teachers, Curtis Acosta who teaches literature, and Jose Gonzalez who teaches American Government. In their classes, Acosta and Gonzalez teach students about the history of their culture and then challenge them to reflect, realize and reconcile with their culture's past. In his article "Developing Critical Consciousness: Resistance Literature in a Chicano Literature Class," [8] Acosta asserts that it is vital for students to discover their own purpose and heritage through educational programs like that of the MAS program and persuades other educational entities to adopt similar curriculums. The program also challenge students to become “warriors for their gente,” and to take action on issues they become aware of in the classes.
Controversy arose surrounding the Raza studies program when Superintendent of schools, Tom Horne, announced that he would introduce a bill that would ban ethnic studies programs in the state of Arizona. Horne and other opponents of ethnic studies, argue that these programs promote racial divide amongst students in schools and is “in conflict with the values of American Citizenship.” Horne's bill (SB1108) initially passed through Arizona's House Appropriations Committee but didn't make it to the floor after Governor Janet Napolitano threatened to veto it, so a new bill (SB1069) to ban ethnic studies was introduced in the next legislative session. After a series of debates from both sides at the committee hearing, SB1069 passed and became scheduled for a vote before the full legislature. SB 1069 fails to pass in front of the full legislature, but lawmakers continue to challenge the program's legality; legislators propose two new bills, SB 1070 and HB 2281, which are partly aimed against the ethnic studies program.
To help decide if he would vote for HB 2281, Huppenthal accepts an invitation to Acosta's class. During class time Huppenthal engages in discourse with students and faculty about his concerns with the MAS program, at one point questioning why Benjamin Franklin is not displayed. Huppenthal thought this remark about Franklin was inappropriate. At the next Senate Education Committee voting session for the new bills, Huppenthal speaks about his experience in a MAS program class and HB 2281 is approved and sent to new Governor Jan Brewer for her signature. This leads to a student/teacher rally against HB 2281, at which the Tucson Brown Berets demonstrate their support for the MAS program. One week later, students, teachers, and community members then stage a sit-down at the state building where Horne and Dugan are holding the press conference. Four students and eleven adults are arrested for refusing to leave the state building. Despite their efforts, Governor Jan Brewer signed HB 2281 into law.
As the documentary concludes, producers film the last day of school in Acosta and Gonzalez's classes. In Acosta's class, he and the become very emotional about their year. Finally, the students are filmed at their graduation ceremony. To conclude, it is revealed that Tom Horne declared MAS program classes in violation of the law, so the TUSD cancelled the program.
Ari Luis Palos and Eren Isabel McGinnis began filming Precious Knowledge on October 31, 2008, after being granted permission by the Tucson Unified School District. The filmmakers were allowed complete access to the ethnic studies program in Tucson Magnet High School throughout the 2008-2009 school year. Early on, they planned to use a combination of interviews and footage from inside and outside the MAS classrooms to explore various perspectives and further their film. [2]
Ari Luis Palos and Eren Isabel McGinnis had a long history of filming documentaries centered on minorities before embarking on this project. According to McGinnis, their films “give [a] voice to communities often silenced or stereotyped by mainstream media.” [9] McGinnis was also particularly invested in this film because she had a son attending Tucson High School during the controversy. Furthermore, both filmmakers are of Mexican descent and have a “deep reverence and love of all things Mexican” [9]
McGinnis also revealed the meaning behind the film's title in an interview that appeared in the academic journal, The Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States (MELUS). [9] "Precious knowledge" is a reference to Mayan concepts that say to "self-reflect (Tezcatlipoca), seek out precious and beautiful knowledge (Quetzalcoatl), begin to act (Huitzilopochtli) and ultimately transform (Xipe Totec)." [9] The documentary's focus on Quetzalcoatl—precious knowledge—highlights what the activists in the film are fighting for. This and other emphases on Aztec heritage throughout the film reveal the intent by the filmmakers to remind students of their own deep history and their indigenous ancestors. With this knowledge, Eren McGinnis hopes to support the same message supported by the Mexican-American Studies program that these Mexican-American students “are not ‘outsiders’ or 'invaders'” of this country. [9]
Since its premiere on Independent Lens on May 17, 2012, the documentary is often screened at colleges across the country. [4] The screening is also sometimes accompanied by a discussion on the film with Curtis Acosta, former teacher of the MAS program in Tucson Unified School District.
The film received the following awards:
In 2011, following the events of the film, an audit was performed by the request of John Huppenthal, in hopes of finding justifications to remove the program. However, the audit’s findings showed that the program was in line with the bill passed into law, HB 2281. [15] Despite the results of the audit, the Arizona state government informed the Tucson United School District that the school district would lose $14 million of its funding if the program were to continue. As a result, the Tucson United School District cut the Mexican-American studies (MAS) program in early 2012. [16]
Certain books taught in MAS Program classrooms were also banned from TUSD school for the same reasons used to eliminate the MAS Program. The following works were accused of presenting "anti-American" and generally racist sentiments against Americans of white European heritage.
According to eyewitness reports by MAS students, the books were confiscated by school officials in front of students. One student noted, "We were in shock... it was very heartbreaking to see that happening in the middle of class." [19]
In March 2013, Curtis Acosta, and other teachers and students of the program took the issue to federal court. [15] [20] They challenged the legality of HB 2281 and its application, with the hope that if it were overturned, the MAS program would be reinstated. The plaintiffs took issue with (1) the constitutionality of HB 2281; (2) the fact that there was no “legal justification to eliminate the Mexican-American Studies Program”, (because it was in line with the law, evidenced by the audit performed in 2011); and (3) the vague language of the law, which presented opportunity for discriminatory misinterpretation. [15] Ultimately, the federal district court left the law mostly intact. The court nullified only the section of the statute, that restricted classes "designed for a particular ethnic group," because it infringed upon the First Amendment. Unsatisfied with the results, the plaintiffs—at this point reduced to two students Korina Lopez and Maya Arce, as well as the director of the MAS program, Sean Arce (also Maya's father)—filed an appeal. [21] The case went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on July 7, 2015, as Arce v. Douglas. The appellate court decided to return the case to the district court to give the plaintiffs a trial on their claims of racial discrimination. [22]
On August 22, 2017, Judge A. Wallace Tashima ruled that "both enactment and enforcement [of] [HB 2281] were motivated by racial animus." [23] He further added that HB 2281 demonstrated prejudice against Latino student, thus violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. [23] Judge Tashima also ruled that HB 2281 "violated students' [first] Amendment 'right to receive information and ideas.'" [23] Racist blog posts and comments from Huppenthal also influenced Judge Tashima's ruling. While he was Arizona's Superintendent, Huppenthal used the pseudonyms "Thucydides" and "Falcon 9" to speak out against the MAS Program. Huppenthal also compared the Mexican American Studies program to Hitler's regime and criticized the program's use of Spanish radio stations, billboards, TV stations, and newspapers. [24]
In an interview with Ari Bloomekatz, Curtis Acosta claimed that the court's ruling validated the MAS program, restoring the integrity of himself and his colleagues who were criticized for supporting the TUSD's ethnic studies program. [19] However, according to the Arizona Daily Star, it is unlikely that the MAS program will be reinstated. The fate of the program rests in the hands of the Tucson Unified School District Board. Since the program was eliminated, the district has been "developing 'culturally relevant courses' to replace ethnic studies programming." [25]
According to Precious Knowledge, the program served as a model in the following places: San Francisco Unified School District, Houston Independent School District, School District of Philadelphia, Los Angeles Unified School District, New Haven Unified School District, Boston Public Schools, Sacramento City Unified School District and Pomona Unified School District. [7] The large controversy and banning of the program in Arizona inspired school districts in California and Texas to consider Mexican-American Studies programs. [22] For example, the El Paso Independent School District and Ysleta Independent School District of El Paso, Texas, decided to include Mexican American Studies classes in their high schools. [26] Curtis Acosta also started a consulting business in 2013 to further spread ethnic studies classes in the states of California, Oregon, Texas, and Washington by guiding the creation, process and training of such a program in these states. [27]
Recently, several states and cities have implemented ethnic studies programs in their schools. In May 2017, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb mandated that high schools provide at least one ethnic studies elective per year. [23] One month later, Governor Kate Brown required Oregon public schools to offer ethic studies for students in kindergarten through 12th grade and the Seattle School Board claimed they would include ethnic studies in school curriculum. [23] In October 2017, school administrators in Bridgeport, Connecticut, approved a requirement for high school graduation where students must take a half-year class on African American studies, Latin American/Caribbean studies or perspectives on race. [28] [23]
Chicano or Chicana is an ethnic identity for Mexican Americans that emerged from the Chicano Movement. Chicano was originally a classist and racist slur used toward low-income Mexicans that was reclaimed in the 1940s among youth who belonged to the Pachuco and Pachuca subculture.
Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican heritage. In 2022, Mexican Americans comprised 11.2% of the US population and 58.9% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexican Americans were born in the United States. Mexicans born outside the US make up 53% of the total population of foreign-born Hispanic Americans and 25% of the total foreign-born population. Chicano is a term used by some to describe the unique identity held by Mexican-Americans. The United States is home to the second-largest Mexican community in the world, behind only Mexico.
Ethnic studies, in the United States, is the interdisciplinary study of difference—chiefly race, ethnicity, and nation, but also sexuality, gender, and other such markings—and power, as expressed by the state, by civil society, and by individuals.
John Huppenthal is an American politician who served as Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2011 to 2015. Prior to being elected Superintendent, Huppenthal served as City Councilman, State Representative, and State Senator. Huppenthal was also a Senior Planning Analyst for Salt River Project.
Latino studies is an academic discipline which studies the experience of people of Latin American ancestry in the United States. Closely related to other ethnic studies disciplines such as African-American studies, Asian American studies, and Native American studies, Latino studies critically examines the history, culture, politics, issues, sociology, spirituality (Indigenous) and experiences of Latino people. Drawing from numerous disciplines such as sociology, history, literature, political science, religious studies and gender studies, Latino studies scholars consider a variety of perspectives and employ diverse analytical tools in their work.
Luis Miguel Valdez is an American playwright, screenwriter, film director and actor. Regarded as the father of Chicano film and playwriting, Valdez is best known for his play Zoot Suit, his movie La Bamba, and his creation of El Teatro Campesino. A pioneer in the Chicano Movement, Valdez broadened the scope of theatre and arts of the Chicano community.
Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) is the largest school district of Tucson, Arizona, in terms of enrollment. Dr. Gabriel Trujillo is the superintendent, appointed on September 12, 2017, by the Governing Board. As of 2016, TUSD had more than 47,670 students. As of Fall 2012, according to Superintendent John Pedicone, TUSD had 50,000 students. District enrollment has declined over the last 10 years and TUSD lost 1,700 to 2,000 students per year for the two or three years prior to 2012.
The East Los Angeles Walkouts or Chicano Blowouts were a series of 1968 protests by Chicano students against unequal conditions in Los Angeles Unified School District high schools. The first walkout occurred on March 5, 1968. The students who organized and carried out the protests were primarily concerned with the quality of their education. This movement, which involved thousands of students in the Los Angeles area, was identified as "the first major mass protest against racism undertaken by Mexican-Americans in the history of the United States".
Partido Nacional de La Raza Unida was a Hispanic political party centered on Chicano (Mexican-American) nationalism. It was created in 1970 and became prominent throughout Texas and Southern California. It was started to combat growing inequality and dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party that was typically supported by Mexican-American voters. After its establishment in Texas, the party launched electoral campaigns in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and California, though it only secured official party status for statewide races in Texas. It did poorly in the 1978 Texas elections and dissolved when leaders and members dropped out.
Chicano studies, also known as Chicano/a studies, Chican@ studies, or Xicano studies originates from the Chicano Movement of the late 1960s and 1970s, and is the study of the Chicano and Latino experience. Chicano studies draws upon a variety of fields, including history, sociology, the arts, and Chicano literature. The area of studies additionally emphasizes the importance of Chicano educational materials taught by Chicano educators for Chicano students.
The UCLA Chicano Studies Research Center (CSRC) was founded in 1969 to foster multidisciplinary research efforts at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). It is one of four ethnic studies centers established at UCLA that year, all of which were the first in the nation and have advanced our understanding of the essential contributions of people of color to U.S. history, thought, and culture. The centers remain the major organized research units in the University of California system that focus on ethnic and racial communities and contribute to the system's research mission.
Tucson High Magnet School, commonly referred to as THMS, THS, or Tucson High, is a public high school in Tucson, Arizona. It is part of the Tucson Unified School District with magnet programs in Technology, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts. The school is located adjacent to the University of Arizona and is close to the Downtown Arts District. It is the oldest high school in Arizona, having been established in 1892 and then re-established in 1906. The school celebrated its centennial in 2006. In terms of enrollment, THMS is the largest high school in southern Arizona and the eleventh-largest in Arizona, with more than 3,200 students enrolled.
Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza is a 1987 semi-autobiographical work by Gloria E. Anzaldúa that examines the Chicano and Latino experience through the lens of issues such as gender, identity, race, and colonialism. Borderlands is considered to be Anzaldúa’s most well-known work and a pioneering piece of Chicana literature.
David Tineo is an American artist of Mexican descent whose works focus on cultural and identity issues particular to Mexican Americans who live in the U.S. Though internationally known, most of Tineo's life and career has been spent in Tucson, Arizona. He was diagnosed in 2004 with a macular degeneration that left him legally blind, but continues to paint and sculpt.
The Mexican American Studies Department Programs (MAS) provide courses for students attending various elementary, middle, and high schools within the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). Some key components of the MAS program include student support, curriculum content, teacher professional development, and parent and community involvement. In the past, programs helped Chicana/o and Latina/o students graduate, pursue higher education, and score higher test scores. A study found that "100 percent of those students enrolled in Mexican-American studies classes at Tucson High were graduating, and 85 percent were going on to college."
Librotraficante was an American protest movement. It began in response to a 2012 decision by the Arizona Superintendent for Public Instruction calling for the removal of books from classes that "promote the overthrow of the United States government, foster racial and class-based resentment, favor one ethnic group over another, or advocate ethnic solidarity". Protesters organized a caravan which transported more than 1,000 banned books into Arizona. The caravan was relaunched in 2017 to coincide with a hearing about ethnic-studies courses in the Arizona Supreme Court. The protest received the Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award at the American Library Association's Midwinter meeting in 2013.
Xicanx is an English-language gender-neutral neologism and identity referring to people of Mexican descent in the United States. The ⟨-x⟩ suffix replaces the ⟨-o/-a⟩ ending of Chicano and Chicana that are typical of grammatical gender in Spanish. The term references a connection to Indigeneity, decolonial consciousness, inclusion of genders outside the Western gender binary imposed through colonialism, and transnationality. In contrast, most Latinos tend to define themselves in nationalist terms, such as by a Latin American country of origin.
Roberto Cintli Rodríguez was a Mexican-American journalist, columnist, poet, author, and academic of Mexican American Studies at the University of Arizona.
A Mexican American is a resident of the United States who is of Mexican descent. Mexican American-related topics include the following:
Pensamiento Serpentino is a poem by Chicano playwright Luis Valdez originally published by Cucaracha Publications, which was part of El Teatro Campesino, in 1973. The poem famously draws on philosophical concepts held by the Mayan people known as In Lak'ech, meaning "you are the other me." The poem also draws, although less prominently, on Aztec traditions, such as through the appearance of Quetzalcoatl. The poem received national attention after it was illegally banned as part of the removal of Mexican American Studies Programs in Tucson Unified School District. The ban was later ruled unconstitutional.