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leoofno
Skeptic Friend
USA
346 Posts |
 Posted - 10/06/2010 : 14:22:15
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Just saw that the Governer of Arixona signed into law a bill that forbids public schools from teaching students "to resent or hate other races."
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/12/arizona-bans-ethnic-studies-read-the-bill/?iref=obnetwork
Sounded OK to me, I thought. Noone should be taught to hate or resent others. Then I read the bill. Now I think their goal is not so lofty.
Here's the relevent bit:
START_STATUTE15-111. Declaration of policy
The legislature finds and declares that public school pupils should be taught to treat and value each other as individuals and not be taught to resent or hate other races or classes of people. END_STATUTE
START_STATUTE15-112. Prohibited courses and classes; enforcement
A. A school district or charter school in this state shall not include in its program of instruction any courses or classes that include any of the following:
1. Promote the overthrow of the United States government.
2. Promote resentment toward a race or class of people.
3. Are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group.
4. Advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals.
Now, I see a few really odd things:
While I'm against the overthrow of the US government as much as the next guy, how on earth does this first provision even follow from the policy declaration? It's such a non-sequitir that I can't imagine what it's doing here. The second provision, while something I also support, is so vague as to be completely useless. What exactly does it mean to "promote resentment"? What exactly would be considered promotion of resentment? Are there classes in Arizona where the teachers go around saying "those lousy so-and-so's, they suck"? I doubt it.
I think numbers 3 and 4 show the true goal of the bill. They don't want to provide education to spanish speaking kids in Spanish. Or offer educaucational opportunities geared toward helping Hispanic kids integrate into the local society. I guess they figure this will discourage illegal immigrants from heading to Arizona.
How any of that would translate into hate and resentment, I don't know. The hate/resentment language seems like a smoke screen to hide their true intentions. But their true intentions are so obvious, why bother with such a transparent screen?
Please, someone explain why I'm wrong before I start thinking Arizonans are a bunch of idiot racists.
And I still don't get the whole overthrow of the government thing.
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"If you're not terrified, you're not paying attention." Eric Alterman
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Hawks
SFN Regular
Canada
1383 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2010 : 17:42:44 [Permalink]
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| Points 1 and 2 could very well be used to forbid text books/teachers to say anything negative about, for example, US foreign policies - past and present. |
METHINKS IT IS LIKE A WEASEL
It's a small, off-duty czechoslovakian traffic warden! |
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lorddix
New Member
USA
22 Posts |
Posted - 10/06/2010 : 23:03:14 [Permalink]
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| Maybe Arizona should stop teaching about the Civil War as that could be construed as advocating the overthrow of the U.S Government or teaching about the Civil Rights movement as that could be constued as advocating Ethnic Solidarity or teaching about the settlers mistreatment of the Native Americans as that could promote resentment against a race or class of people. Just to be on the safe side maybe Arizona should just get rid of all schools period that way they wouldn't have to worry about any of it. |
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leoofno
Skeptic Friend
USA
346 Posts |
Posted - 10/07/2010 : 06:47:45 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Hawks
Points 1 and 2 could very well be used to forbid text books/teachers to say anything negative about, for example, US foreign policies - past and present.
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Well, I'm sure they don't want to prevent themselves from criticizing the Democrats.
I can only guess that their twisted minds think that the illegal immigrant are the forefront of some sort of Mexican invasion force sent here to subvert and eventually overthrow the US government. But thats just too crazy......isn't it? |
"If you're not terrified, you're not paying attention." Eric Alterman
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| Edited by - leoofno on 10/07/2010 06:48:26 |
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Machi4velli
SFN Regular
USA
854 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2010 : 12:15:44 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by leoofno
I can only guess that their twisted minds think that the illegal immigrant are the forefront of some sort of Mexican invasion force sent here to subvert and eventually overthrow the US government. But thats just too crazy......isn't it?
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I don't see that it's meant to be related specifically to illegal immigration. Of course that's silly, but the chance that it could significantly change democratic decisions is real. |
"Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people."
-Giordano Bruno
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge."
-Stephen Hawking
"Seeking what is true is not seeking what is desirable"
-Albert Camus |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26021 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2010 : 17:57:00 [Permalink]
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| Is this bill a belated backlash against Cinco de Mayo? Didn't they have problems in Arizona with Cinco de Mayo this year? I could sworn we had a thread on that, but can't find it. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Machi4velli
SFN Regular
USA
854 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2010 : 19:01:37 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
Is this bill a belated backlash against Cinco de Mayo? Didn't they have problems in Arizona with Cinco de Mayo this year? I could sworn we had a thread on that, but can't find it.
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They did in Orlando I know, not sure about Arizona. |
"Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people."
-Giordano Bruno
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge."
-Stephen Hawking
"Seeking what is true is not seeking what is desirable"
-Albert Camus |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26021 Posts |
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Arizona and Teaching Hatred
