Used at TC, banned in Arizona: On book removal and silencing student voices
“The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack,” – ALA
The events taking place in Arizona’s Tucson Unified School District are hitting too close to home. As a former ethnic studies student and as I continue my studies here at TC with the purpose of improving the educational experiences of Latino youth, I am both saddened and angered at the decisions taking place by individuals who have not set foot in an ethnic studies classroom and who push race and culture to the side as if it had zero value to our students.
In my final semester, as I work towards completing my final Master’s project, I am using some of the books which are currently being boxed up in Tucson’s classrooms. One of the titles, Pedagogy of the Oppressed is a frequently used text here at Teachers College. Although the word “ban” is not officially used by the district to describe the removal of many titles, including Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic’s Critical Race Theory, there are others, like me, who feel that the word is appropriate.
Other books being removed from classrooms are:
- 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures, edited by Elizabeth Martinez
- Message to Aztlán, by Rodolfo Corky Gonzales
- Chicano! The History of the Mexican Civil Rights Movement, by F Arturo Rosales
- Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, by Rodolfo Acuña
- Pedagogy of the Oppressed, by Paulo Freire
- Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, by Bill Bigelow
In light of the events in Tucson, the American Library Association (ALA) had this to say:
“it condemns the ‘suppression of open inquiry and free expression caused by closure of ethnic and cultural studies programs,’ it condemns the ‘restriction of access to education materials related to ethnic and cultural studies,’ and it urges the Arizona legislature to pass HB 2654, ‘An Act Repealing Sections 15-111 and 15-112, Arizona Revised Statutes; Relating to School Curriculum.’”
How are we as educators to close gaps and inspire if our students do not see themselves in what they learn?
Veronica, this sounds really bad. Where are good places to learn more about this change in Tucson’s policy?
Hi Brian,
Here is an article from CNN’s website to give you an idea of what’s going on as far as the book removal is concerned: http://inamerica.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/24/march-petition-urge-tucson-school-officials-to-bring-back-books/?hpt=us_c2
Also, we just recently purchased the documentary, Precious Knowledge, which speaks about the issues surrounding the removal of the Mexican American Studies Program in the Tucson Unified School District. Here’s the call number: GN307.85.U6 P73 2011
Veronica and Brian,
I published my research into Arizona’s H.B. 2281, the suspension of Mexican American Studies program by TUSD, and the confiscation of books, in an article on my blog.
It includes a timeline of events leading to the suspension of the program, what happened in the aftermath of the suspension, and reactions to the suspension and banning of books. It’s all referenced with footnotes; the URL is:
http://justiceandthecommongood.blogspot.com/2012/01/abandon-critical-thought-ye-who-enter.html
Stephen,
Thank you very much for sharing your work with us. It really is a terrible thing that these students and their teachers are facing.