The Real American Dirt: How Targeting Mexicans Led to Banned Chicano/Latino Books and Classes

By Irene Sanchez Xicana Ph.D. The most recent discussion on NPR surrounding the novel American Dirt featuring Myriam Gurba- the Chicana author who was the first to critique the book, author Luis Alberto Urrea, author Sandra Cisneros and author of American Dirt-Jeanine Cummins, has reminded me about the injustices that Chicano/Latino communities still face in … Continue reading The Real American Dirt: How Targeting Mexicans Led to Banned Chicano/Latino Books and Classes

Why High School Graduation Remains an Important Achievement for Chicanos/Latinos

The same year my son began kindergarten was the same year I started teaching high school. After completing a Ph.D. in Education in 2015, instead of working in higher education as I anticipated, I was called to teach Ethnic Studies in high school classrooms to be in schools that sometimes feel like the “Mexican Schools” I teach about from the 1940s. As Teaching Tolerance has documented in these Mexican Schools, “Many Anglo educators did not expect, or encourage, Chicano students to advance beyond the eighth grade. Instead, the curriculum at the Mexican schools was designed, as one district superintendent put it, “to help these children take their place in society.”

You Can’t Call it What it is if You Don’t Know History: Anti-Mexican Violence in the Southwest

You Can’t Call it What it is if You Don’t Know History: Anti-Mexican Violence in the Southwest By Irene Sanchez There was a massacre yesterday in El Paso, Texas. There was a shooting motivated by hate in Gilroy, California last week.  They were both motivated by Anti-Mexican sentiment which has been present in the U.S. … Continue reading You Can’t Call it What it is if You Don’t Know History: Anti-Mexican Violence in the Southwest

Breaking! AB 331 (Medina) HS Ethnic Studies Bill Passes in CA Assembly

AB 331 (Medina) HS Ethnic Studies Bill Passes in CA AssemblyBy Irene Sanchez (Xicana Ph.D.) On May 23, 2019, AB 331 (Medina) was passed by the CA state assembly with a 60-6 vote and will move on for a Senate vote to finally make Ethnic Studies a high school graduation requirement in the State of … Continue reading Breaking! AB 331 (Medina) HS Ethnic Studies Bill Passes in CA Assembly

AB 331 (Medina): The Move for an Ethnic Studies High School Graduation Requirement in CA Begins Again

AB 331 (Medina): The Move for an Ethnic Studies High School Graduation Requirement in CA Begins Again By Irene Sanchez On January 31, 2019, Assemblymember Jose Medina of Riverside, introduced legislation to make Ethnic Studies a graduation requirement in the State of California again. Medina is a former high school teacher and long time advocate … Continue reading AB 331 (Medina): The Move for an Ethnic Studies High School Graduation Requirement in CA Begins Again

AB 2772 (Medina) Ethnic Studies Bill Moves Forward in California

AB 2772 (Medina) Ethnic Studies Bill Moves Forward in California Xicana Ph.D. By: Irene Sanchez #ethnicstudiesforall Today AB 2772 passed the Senate Education Committee and will now move forward to Appropriations, a vote by the Senate and if passed, the Governors signature. The movement to make Ethnic Studies a graduation requirement in K-12 has been … Continue reading AB 2772 (Medina) Ethnic Studies Bill Moves Forward in California