Tucson Schools Must Teach “Culturally Relevant” Courses

By Michel Marizco, KJZZ News for Fronteras

TUCSON – A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Tucson Unified School District must begin teaching culturally relevant courses in its schools.

The court order comes from a case now more than 30 years old.  In it, the judge ruled that TUSD must offer courses in the history and experiences of blacks and Latinos.  The school district must also reduce the racial disparities in the disciplining of black and Latino youth versus their Anglo counterparts.

Supporters of the district’s Mexican American Studies program that Arizona outlawed in 2010 had hoped that the judge’s decision would force the state to allow the courses to be offered again.  But the judge ruled that while he mandates culturally relevant courses, they should still comply with state law.