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Debra Mullins – Arizona Legislature passes HB 2281 banning ethnic studies

Arizona Legislature passes HB2281 banning


ethnic studies
IS ARIZONA IMPLEMENTING A RESTORATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL
PRINCIPLES?

Author: Debra Mullins


Date: May 4, 2010
Republished with permission of The Post & Email
http://www.thepostemail.com/2010/05/04/arizona-legislature-passes-hb2281-banning-
ethnic-studies/

The Arizona state flag was designed by Col. Charles W. Harris and Carl Hayden, the state's
first congressman. Hayden's wife Nan sewed the first official Arizona flag in 1911.

(May 4, 2010) — On Thursday, April 29, 2010, the Arizona House of Representatives passed
the Senate-amended version of HB2281, banning racial and ethnic studies from the curricula
of state-funded K-12 schools. The bill passed the Senate on Wednesday, April 28, and is now
awaiting Governor Jan Brewer’s signature.

This is the second bill passed in as many weeks which has raised the ire and derision of some
Latinos and other racial and ethnic groups. On April 23, 2010, Governor Brewer signed into
law SB1070, which requires Law Enforcement to detain anyone with whom it comes in
contact if there is reasonable suspicion such person is unlawfully residing in the United
States. The new law has sparked protests across the nation, and some states and special
interests groups are advocating the boycott of Arizona and Arizona-produced products.

The purpose and scope of HB2281 is to remove racial and ethnic studies from public and
charter school curricula and to teach pupils to treat and respect others as individuals rather
than associating them with a particular race or ethnic group in such a way that it fosters
resentment or discrimination on the part of other races and/or ethnic groups.

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Debra Mullins – Arizona Legislature passes HB 2281 banning ethnic studies

The bill prohibits instruction in courses which:

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.
4. Advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals.

School districts that are found to be out of compliance and fail to comply within 60 days of
notification will risk losing up to 10% of their appropriated state funding.

It is not the intent of HB2281 to completely cleanse the curriculum of references to various
racial and ethnic groups and minority individuals who have been oppressed or who have
made significant contributions during the course of the United States’ evolution; it should,
however, be taught only in a historical context. Students still need to learn about the Civil
War, the European migration that occurred during the Industrial Revolution, the
extermination of millions of Jews during World War II, the Civil Rights movement, etc.

There are also ulterior motives at play when public schools include racial and ethnic studies
in their curricula. The left’s indoctrination and propagation of its agenda begins in the public
school system. It is politically motivated to create racial and ethnic divisions; a significant
part of the Democrat Party’s platform is to perpetuate the myth that it is the only political
party that stands for the rights of minorities. Thus, the inclusion of racial and ethnic studies
in public school curricula may also be intended to shore up and increase the size of the left’s
base.

The Arizona legislature, however, fell short of achieving the perfect trifecta with the sidelining
of S1024, which would have required Presidential candidates to prove their eligibility prior to
being allowed on the Arizona ballot. S1024 narrowly passed the AZ House of Representatives
on April 21, 2010 and was forwarded to the Senate. The eligibility language included in the
bill originated with HB2441, introduced by Representative Judy Burges.

The bill was set aside by Senate President Bob Burns, who cited that he questioned whether
or not the legislature needed “the controversy it would create.” It has also been reported that
the Senate did not have enough Republican votes to pass the bill. Rep. Burges intends to re-
introduce the bill at the earliest opportunity and in advance of the 2012 Presidential election.

The bill has sparked other state legislatures such as Georgia to consider similar legislation. If
enough states enact proof of eligibility laws, it may create a tipping point that will keep the
“Usurper-In-Chief” off of the 2012 Presidential ballot.

The Arizona legislature should be commended for taking a stand against the left’s hijacking of
the educational system with the primary aim of restoring and protecting the Constitution. If
Governor Brewer signs the bill into law as expected, watch for a Congressional attempt to
make a power play and withhold federal education appropriations from Arizona until it
repeals the law or challenge the constitutionality of the law in federal court. It will also be
interesting to see how AZ Senator John McCain and his Republican challenger, J.D.
Hayworth, address this hot-button issue on the campaign trail.

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Debra Mullins – Arizona Legislature passes HB 2281 banning ethnic studies

We as a nation have become a sea of entrenched multiculturalism which only breeds


contempt for other socio-economic, racial, ethnic, political, and religious groups rather than
foster assimilation into the American way of life. While diversity should be honored,
respected, and protected, encouraging pupils to honor and respect the individual will in itself
create an atmosphere of acceptance and tolerance. There was a time in which racial and
ethnic groups migrating to the United States sought to assimilate themselves into American
society without necessarily losing sight of their cultural or racial heritage. The responsibility
for one’s education regarding heritage lies with the parents and the racial and ethnic
community in which he or she resides, not the public school system. The government has no
business meddling in such matters and it is primarily responsible for cultivating the racial
and ethnic divisions which exist today.

Debra Mullins is a 4th generation native of Oregon. She lives with her husband and son
in the Southern Willamette Valley, where constitutionalism is almost non-existent, and liberal
politics and policies bordering on socialism reign. Debra recently started a management
consulting business with the primary objective of helping regional businesses keep Oregon
jobs in Oregon. Her writings are a reflection of her reverence for the Constitution, and her
love of country.

E-mail contact: editor@thepostemail.com

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