A federal judge prohibited the Arizona Department of Education from enforcing a 2010 law that bans ethnic studies.
The Arizona Revised Statutes Title 15-112 prohibits any school district or charter school in the state from including in its program of instruction any courses or classes that:
- Promote the overthrow of the United States government
- Promote resentment toward a race or class of people;
- Are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group; or
- Advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individual
One of the programs affected by the law was Mexican-American Studies program of Tucson Unified School District. In 2010, immediately after Arizona Governor Jan Brewer approved the law, Mexican-American students in Tucson filed a lawsuit.
The Arizona law is racist
On Wednesday, U.S. Circuit Judge A. Wallace Tashima issued his final ruling on the case. Judge Tashima ruled that the Arizona law violated student’s constitutional rights.”
In August, Judge Wallace ruled that racism and political gain motivated state officials to enact and enforce the law. He reiterated his ruling this week and prohibited the Arizona Education from enforcing the law.
