TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) -
Two
families, one African American and one Mexican American, sued TUSD and
said their children weren't getting the same opportunities as children of other
backgrounds in other parts of the district.
This plan, almost forty years later, could be the roadmap to make that happen. And each of these past three nights, people have said Mexican American Studies
needs to be one of the markers.
"As
a parent, you look for that. What's
inspiring my daughter, what's clicking for her," said Becky Harvey.
"Raza
studies, Mexican American Studies teaches hate for white people," said
Laura Leighton.
Opponents
speak but the vast majority of those argue for the return of Mexican American Studies to TUSD at this third and final public hearing on a plan to end a
more than 30-year-old desegregation order.
But
more's at stake than MAS.
"My
concern is that while it's a great plan, I'm not seeing it attack the real
issue," said Charles Collingwood.
Parent
and teacher Charles Collingwood says the plan does not specifically say how to
improve test scores among African Americans, just that it should happen.
"I
don't think the district ever really focused on that problem almost to the
point the population is so small, you can continue to make achievements without
addressing the problems this population has," said Collingwood.
So many
years have passed, attorneys for the families who sued back in the 70s say
desegregation is different now, not only about balancing the racial makeup of
schools but making sure students of all backgrounds and locations have the same
quality of education.
"You
want to have schools that are racially balanced schools but at the same time
you want to improve educational outcome and equalize educational opportunity,"
said Nancy Ramirez, MALDEF attorney for the Mendoza plaintiffs.
"It's
our fervent hope, at least by Fisher plaintiffs that what we do is someone can
look back and say, the whole district became better. Really, what it's about is dragging the
district into the 21st century," said Rubin Salter, Jr., attorney for the
Fisher plaintiffs.
Copyright 2012 Tucson News Now. All rights reserved.
