OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON ARIZONA HB 2281

The National Association for Ethnic Studies (NAES) denounces HB2281, a bill signed into effect by Arizona governor Jan Brewer on May 11, 2010, which targets the teaching of ethnic studies curricula within the K-12 school system. The bill specifically prohibits courses that “1. promote the overthrow of the United States government, 2. promote resentment toward a race or class of people, 3. are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group, and 4. advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals.” The signing of this bill has led to a profound misrepresentation of the field of Ethnic Studies as a means to promoting separatism, discrimination and anti-American sentiment. These distortions directly contradict and undermine the objectives of Ethnic Studies teaching and scholarship. Ethnic Studies began as an interdisciplinary field of study that sought to build knowledge about communities in the United States that had been historically marginalized, undervalued, and/or silenced. This field of study has grown to include comparative and international approaches to the study of ethnicity and the intersections of race, class, gender and sexuality. At the same time, Ethnic Studies encourages individuals to gain consciousness and self-worth by investigating their personal histories and is committed to nurturing civic minded and culturally informed students. Ethnic Studies students learn of the histories, cultures, and social formations of ethnically rich communities while developing critical reading, writing, and communication skills that prepare them to live and work in a diverse world. An education in Ethnic Studies is sought not only by students of color but also majority group students who desire a more ampliate and complete picture of the evolution of American society and culture.

NAES strongly opposes the arguments put forward by proponents of HB2281 and deplores the limitations placed on academic freedom by this bill. We firmly urge its supporters to consider the dangers in censoring information and imposing narrow definitions of what are acceptable versions of American history and cultural expression, and encourage them to examine the exceptional scholarship that the field has produced as well as the productive lives of the many students who have taken these courses. HB2281 speaks directly against what NAES, an organization of scholars, educators, and activists committed to the principles of responsible Ethnic Studies scholarship and advocacy, stands for and we ask all who believe in its importance to work together to educate others about HB2281’s detrimental impacts.