Keeping the Flames at Bay: The Interplay between Federal Oversight and State Politics in Tucson’s Mexican American Studies Program

Authors

Leslie A. Locke, University of IowaFollow
Ann E. Blankenship, University of Southern MississippiFollow

Keywords

Tucson, Mexican American Studies, desegregation, policy, federal oversight

Document Type

Continuing the Conversation

Abstract

In the wealth of literature discussing Tucson Unified School District’s (TUSD) Mexican American Studies program (MAS), the focus has remained primarily on the political events surrounding the elimination of the highly successful MAS program. The federal desegregation case still pending in Tucson is rarely mentioned and never discussed in depth. In this article, we aim to address this gap in the literature by presenting two stories. First, we look at the story of the TUSD desegregation case originally filed in 1974 and its progress toward unitary status. Next, we look at the story of political scheming and maneuvering in Tucson and Arizona aimed at eliminating MAS. Finally, we discuss the impact of federal court oversight in the face of highly oppositional political forces and how equity and equality may be protected after TUSD is granted unitary status.

Genre/Form

articles

Recommended Citation

Locke, Leslie A. and Blankenship, Ann E. (2015) "Keeping the Flames at Bay: The Interplay between Federal Oversight and State Politics in Tucson’s Mexican American Studies Program," Journal of Educational Controversy: Vol. 10: No. 1, Article 2.
Available at: https://cedar.wwu.edu/jec/vol10/iss1/2

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

School integration--Arizona--Tucson; Mexican American children--Education--Arizona--Tucson; Mexican Americans--Segregation--Arizona--Tucson; Education--Political aspects

Subjects - Names (LCNAF)

Tucson Unified School District (Pima County, Ariz.)

Geographic Coverage

Tucson (Ariz.)

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

Type

Text