AZ students protest ethnic studies ban

I'm neither Native American nor Hispanic and I don't live in Arizona - but I was fortunate enough to take at least a few different ethnic studies courses when I was still in Michigan. I firmly believe that understanding different cultures makes us a better society. Furthermore, I don't believe that you can just one multicultural course and be done with it, as some proponents of the AZ ban suggest. There is a wealth of wonderful literature from many ethnic communities from which students could benefit and there is absolutely no reason for this ban except to deny students information from those diverse perspectives. What a shame to perpetuate ignorance out of fear of the different.

Comments

[Earl Nash]

I was involved in the SFSU student strike in the late Sixties; it was the event that spurred the FBI to start my file. The concept of "Ethnic Studies" was, an is, founded on the assumption that we move closer to cooperation and away from adversarial roles, when we understand each others cultures and "walk a mile in their shoes."

"Imagine all the people, living life in peace..."
Earl Nash, Unrepentant Old Hippie

[Marlita H]

Thanks for the comment, Earl - you were one of the "big kids" when I was in school but that means your cohort was likely to be student teachers, etc. when I was little and had a great deal of influence on me. I still kind of laugh at having a high school senior lead us with her guitar and wearing flowers in her hair, singing Where Have All the Flowers Gone (early elementary school). All of it was a little puzzling to a child but it obviously taught me something - the era, not the song.

No reason to repent for being an old hippie - I wouldn't be who I am if it weren't for old hippies.

"'Cause he's an old hippie
And he don't know what to do
Should he hang on to the old
Should he grab on to the new.

He's and old hippie
This new life is just a bust
He ain't trying to change nobody
He's just trying real hard to adjust." -- The Bellamy Brothers

[Marlita H]

Oh, and everybody go read Earl's blog - it's great! & :-)