1.) Why do you think the superintendent was opposed to Ethnic Studies classes?
a.) Tom Horne wants to ban ethnic studies in schools, but his reasoning is because he doesn’t want to have the students separated. He says they are rude, tribal, and they seclude themselves because of these courses. These people feel like Mexicans should go back to their country, because they feel like the classes are teaching students to be Anti-American.
b.) The real reason is just plain racism. I feel like they are making up excuses because they don’t want the Mexican-American community to stand up for themselves. They don’t want the teachers to convert the children into radicals. Some Anglo people like Tom Horne want the Mexican and Mexican-American communities to remain oppressed, because that would
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These types of classes allow students to be themselves, as well as learn the history that comes with their story. These types of courses interest Chicanos/as, and allow them to prosper intellectually and socially in society.
3.) How do you feel taking Ethnic Studies impacted the students?
a.) When students from a race who is being oppressed, is able to talk, write, and learn about their culture, they can look at society in different eyes. Being taken from an education of ten plus years of studying only American history, and then placed into courses with a Chicano point of view can change a vast majority of people’s minds.
b.) One of the girls in the film talks about how she didn’t even go to school on a regular basis, because she didn’t like it. She felt as though the people in power were bringing her down. Another young man talks about how society somehow allows, and even pushes for people like him to drop out of school. After taking these courses, they were able to feel welcome and loved that they succeeded and graduated high school.
4.) How have you been impacted by taking Chicano