Tucson children actually sentenced to janitorial duty

[phantom power]

This was, of course, inaccurate: what was suspended by HB 2281 was Mexican American studies, not Mexican studies. When students asked why European studies has not been banned, nor any other area studies discipline, the administrators had no response. And regarding the issue of this being America, apparently this administrator believes that Mexican Americans don't belong in America (as she presumably meant the United States).

In a development typical of Arizona, the students who walked out on Thursday, protesting the elimination of the district's Mexican American studies program, have – without a hearing – been directed to perform janitorial duties this Saturday: an amazing message, right out of Newt Gingrich's playbook (he has been campaigning in the GOP presidential nomination race, proposing the idea that students should be hired as janitors to teach them a work ethic). Apparently, TUSD administrators are paying attention.

The further message of this punishment, then, appears to be that the state and the district do not want students to study Mexican American studies, but they do want them to clean toilets. Perhaps, Gingrich should consider relocating to Arizona, where his message is being fully embraced.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2012/jan/18/arizona-banned-mexican-american-books

[HopeHoops]

1. K&R

[Ecumenist]

2. This doesn't surprise me AT ALL!!

[ProdigalJunkMail]

3. um...no shit

when I was in school in the dark ages, there was no such thing as in-school suspension...they made us stay after school and work. this is nothing new and nothing to get poutraged about...

sP

[lonestarnot]

4. And who cleans your toilet?

Or is it one that no one ever uses?

[ProdigalJunkMail]

11. depends on when it needs to be cleaned...

what's the point of this inane question?

sP

[lonestarnot]

14. Just thought that maybe you thought the op was about toilet cleaning.

[madmom]

5. and I bet you walked to school too... in 10 feet of snow...up hill....both ways

[ProdigalJunkMail]

9. nice attempt to deflect the facts... n/t

[NYC Liberal]

7. Just because something has been done for a while doesn't make it right.

Child labor - as in children working 12 hour days in factories - was the norm for a long time. "Nothing to get poutraged about" I guess.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

10. this isn't about child labor

it is about punishment for something...you can argue they should not have been punished and I would likely agree with you. however, the method of the punishment is not even CLOSE to equivalent to your child labor nonsense.

sP

[NYC Liberal]

13. Umm...I never compared it to child labor. I used child labor as an example to show

that just because something has been done for a long time, doesn't make it right.

Your claim was that there shouldn't be any outrage because "this is nothing new."

[ProdigalJunkMail]

15. i said it was nothing new AND nothing to get poutraged about...

it is not just because it isn't a new thing. sorry if i wasn't more clear. and i think it IS a good thing to make them work when they are being punished. kids are experts at doing nothing...just sitting in a chair is hardly punishment.

sP

[Trillo]

19. why is it the people who get paid the least are the ones

always perceived to be lazy as if that laziness is unique to them.

[Puregonzo1188]

20. With or without the racial undertones?

[JSnuffy]

6. Cut school.. get punished...

Not overly surprising....

Might as well accomplish something instead of staring at the clock.

[xchrom]

8. Couple of very interesting replies in this thread. Nt

[BeHereNow]

12. +1

Thinking the very same thing.
BHN

[Louisiana1976]

16. K&R!

[silverweb]

17. Utterly shameful.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]The GOP has come to represent the most bigoted, mean-spirited, ignorant, hateful dregs of our society.

Disgusting.

[Trillo]

18. I'm sure I saw another thread, titled something like, Why are Americans so damn Obedient.

Last edited Sat Jan 21, 2012, 11:27 PM - Edit history (1)

In school, teaching about peaceful protest should never be punished. It's basic First Amendment phrasing.

[Zalatix]

21. +1 for the article and for a fellow RedHat user!

[DesertRat]

22. I doubt this is true

This link is from the guardian in the UK. I have teacher friends in the Tucson Unified School district who don't know anything about Sat. janitorial duties....I think it's supposed to be satire.