Plan targets anti-Western lessons

[one...two...tree 2,762]

by Matthew Benson, Arizona Republic

Arizona public schools would be barred from any teachings considered counter to democracy or Western civilization under a proposal endorsed Wednesday by a legislative panel.

Additionally, the measure would prohibit students of the state's universities and community colleges from forming groups based in whole or part on the race of their members, such as the Black Business Students Association at Arizona State University or Native Americans United at Northern Arizona University. Those groups would be forbidden from operating on campus.

The brainchild of Rep. Russell Pearce, the measure appeared as an amendment to Senate Bill 1108, which originally would have made minor changes to the state's Homeland Security advisory councils. The House Appropriations Committee approved the new proposal on a 9-6 vote.

Pearce, a Mesa Republican, said his target isn't diversity instruction, but schools that use taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate students in what he characterized as anti-American or seditious thinking. The measure is at least partially a response to a controversy surrounding an ethnic-studies program in the Tucson Unified School District, which critics have said is unpatriotic and teaches revolution.

SB 1108 states, "A primary purpose of public education is to inculcate values of American citizenship. Public tax dollars used in public schools should not be used to denigrate American values and the teachings of Western civilization."

For schools that violate the anti-Western-teachings provision, the bill provides the state superintendent of public instruction with the authority to withhold a portion of state funding.

Rep. John Kavanagh, a member of the Appropriations Committee, said he hopes the measure helps return cultural studies in the state's schools to a "melting pot" model.

"This bill basically says, 'You're here. Adopt American values,' " said Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican. "If you want a different culture, then fine, go back to that culture."

But Democratic committee members complained that the measure is overly vague, failing to define what constitutes teachings that "disparage or overtly encourage dissent from the values of democracy and Western civilization."

The result, said Rep. Pete Rios, would likely be a chilling effect on public instruction regarding diversity and other cultures.

"There's nothing wrong with being bilingual, bicultural," said Rios, a Hayden Democrat. "I like Mexican music. I like Elvis Presley. I'm bicultural. What's wrong with that? I think kids, students, need to learn about their culture."

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/200...erican0417.html

[almaty 19]

"This bill basically says, 'You're here. Adopt American values,' " said Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican. "If you want a different culture, then fine, go back to that culture."

sad....arizona is turning into the mississippi of the southwest...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

"Seditious thinking"

McCarthyism at its best.

[Ban Hammer 13,356]

celebrate diversity, not unity.

[Jenn! 918]

Ugh, pink men.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Ugh, pink men.

It does seem a very "pink-faced" bill.

[BabyBlueSusie 1]

the part about university organizations is such horse$hit...those organizations can serve as a vital key to social networking for students who might otherwise feel very alienated as a minority

as for the rest of the bill, i feel like that is the sort of education i got while i was in school anyway...i didnt learn anything about the 'not-so-great things' america has done until i got to college...everything up until then was basically that america is perfect and we always do the right thing...democracy is right and anything else is wrong

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

A "feel good, do nothing" outrage bill.

[Scott & Lai 12]

celebrate diversity, not unity.

e unum, pluribus

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Stinks of David Horowitz...

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/n...professors.html

[pedroh 21]

"This bill basically says, 'You're here. Adopt American values,' " said Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican. "If you want a different culture, then fine, go back to that culture."

sad....arizona is turning into the mississippi of the southwest...

i thought universities were places for free thought and exchange of any kind of ideas.. not ideas that sound 'bad' to some people..

[HAL 9000 96]

"This bill basically says, 'You're here. Adopt American values,' " said Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican. "If you want a different culture, then fine, go back to that culture."

sad....arizona is turning into the mississippi of the southwest...

i thought universities were places for free thought and exchange of any kind of ideas.. not ideas that sound 'bad' to some people..

As long as it conforms to what is defined as free and thought in the mainstream.

[pedroh 21]

so, according to these congressmen, western civilization is flawless? that's why is pointless to talk smack about it and criticize it? or does this also damages the troops morale?

what's next, teaching Toby Keith's 'Courtesy of the Red White and Blue' song in elementary school??

patriotism over education. BS

Edited April 17, 2008 by pedroh

[Heracles 417]

Arizona public schools would be barred from any teachings considered counter to democracy or Western civilization under a proposal endorsed Wednesday by a legislative panel.

Yes how terrible of them. Must be a sad day for liberal Americans that someone does not want filth taught in their state. I am sure the repeated noble prize winning organization, the ACLU, will be on to this...

The good thing downunder is that this is a given, common sense, and does not need to be legislated.

so, according to these congressmen, western civilization is flawless? that's why is pointless to talk smack about it and criticize it? or does this also damages the troops morale?

what's next, teaching Toby Keith's 'Courtesy of the Red White and Blue' song in elementary school??

patriotism over education. BS

Nothing to do with that. It is clearly targeting schools which allow anti-western professors to teach rubbish to students. There is no place for that.

Edited April 17, 2008 by Boo-Yah!

[pedroh 21]

Arizona public schools would be barred from any teachings considered counter to democracy or Western civilization under a proposal endorsed Wednesday by a legislative panel.

Yes how terrible of them. Must be a sad day for liberal Americans that someone does not want filth taught in their state. I am sure the repeated noble prize winning organization, the ACLU, will be on to this...

The good thing downunder is that this is a given, common sense, and does not need to be legislated.

so, according to these congressmen, western civilization is flawless? that's why is pointless to talk smack about it and criticize it? or does this also damages the troops morale?

what's next, teaching Toby Keith's 'Courtesy of the Red White and Blue' song in elementary school??

patriotism over education. BS

Nothing to do with that. It is clearly targeting schools which allow anti-western professors to teach rubbish in schools. There is no place for that.

rubbish, I agree.. but a rational discourse, or criticism.. would that reform also ban that?