Thesis: Precious Knowledge argues for the merits of all ethnic studies programs by documenting

the Tucsons programs success and its significance to the students; simultaneously, the film
remains ambiguous on how to tackle societal questions of identity and identity politics, which
slightly weakens its case for the ethnic studies program.

Essay Outline
Summary
1. Rhetorical situation & reviews
a. Documentary about Tucson ethnic studies program
b. Urban Reviews Jose Garcia & UC Berkeleys Connie Wun
2. How main points/purposes conveyed
a. Use of interviews w/ students/participants, statistics, juxtaposition of both sides,
& live footage of ensuing events (press conferences, protests)
3. Perspectives of reviews
a. Garcia: pro ETHS & completely agree w/ film
b. Wun: more ambivalent; film does not take critical race & feminist analysis +
reifies state/institutions legitimacy while antagonizing it
4. Thesis & lens of reviews
a. (see above)
5. How do reviews back/help develop thesis
a. Both make observations necessary to assessing the film: pros v. cons
6. In 1997, community activism led the Tucson city council to set up a study committee to
look at ways of boosting Latino student achievement and reducing dropout rates. Based
on its findings, the school board unanimously voted to create what was then called the
Hispanic Studies Department (9:48 - 9:50)

Arg 1: Merits of program through program success

1. One of the reasons for the establishment of MAS was the need to address the high
dropout rates and alienation amongst Latinos in the TUSD schools. Augustine Romero
stated that throughout the country, approximately 50 % of Latino students drop out and
that these numbers keep getting worse every year. (Garcia 1)
2. The data gathered by TUSD Director of Accountability and Research, David Scott
(2011), showed that for six consecutive years MAS students had higher graduation rates
than their non-MAS peers. The report also showed that a higher percentage of MAS
students as compared to their non-MAS peers passed the reading and writing portions of
the standardized state test. More importantly, the data showed that MAS was reversing
the national trend of increasing high school dropout rates among Latinos, as well as
closing the achievement gap as measured by standardized state tests. (Garcia 1-2)
3. MAS is the direct result from these grassroots struggles for educational equity. (Garcia
2)
 4. The documentary Precious Knowledge serves as an artifact that documents the
plight and struggle dimensions of Chicanos/as in the quest for educational equity
(San Miguel and Valencia 1998). (Garcia 3)
5. For instance, Precious Knowledge notes that, although the dropout rate among Latina/o
is close to 50 per cent nationwide, the graduation rate for students enrolled in MAS is 93
per cent (Wun 1)
6. Without that diploma, youre walking this world with limited opportunities, limited
chances. Youre gonna be the one out there being exploited for 8 bucks an hour (7:14 -
7:25)

Arg 2: Programs significance to students that move them to take action which shows programs
value
1. the relational ethic of In Lakech, you are my other me, along with history lessons
that connect the students to their indigenous past, the MAS program developed a sense of
belonging in the students. (Garcia 2)
2. The MAS teachers and directors strive to incorporate the community to the school by
inviting the students and their families to break bread in the school. This develops a sense
of belonging in the students through the programs practice of an ethic of authentic care
(Valenzuela, 1999). (Garcia 2)
3. The students, upon finding out that Horne was holding a press conference, marched to
the state building to protest these attacks. The students, teachers, and community
members risked arrest chanting, Whose classes? Our classes! inside the state building.
At the end of the school year, the students and teachers are seen reflecting on their
experience in MAS. Through the lingering sage smoke, Crystal reminds her peers that
despite MAS being outlawed, the struggle has not ended and that their generation needs
to continue la lucha. (Garcia 3)
4. They emphasize the importance of cultura, politics, and commitment to community and
social activismfactors that contributed to the transformation of students lives. (Wun
2)
5. In light of the ongoing attacks against ETHS and students of color at large, Crystals
assertion encourages ethnic studies programs and their supporters to re-center a political
and pedagogical project that challenges the racism of the US state, its institutions and
ideologies (Wun 3)
6. In the previous 11 years of my sons education, never did he come and come home and
talk to me about what he was learning in school. I cant get him to shut up about these
stuffs (22:05 - 22:15)

Arg 3: Fails to address how to resolve problem w/ identity; frames it as students v. state
1. Hornes oppositional stance towards MAS, as portrayed throughout the documentary, is
founded on a discourse of defending American values, morality, and civilization. Horne,
along with White allies, lobbied to shut down the program. (Garcia 2)
2. The films emphasis on the academic merits of MAS classes as evidence of the
programs legitimacy, overshadowed some of the more compelling scenes that included
students actively challenging the state. In those key moments, students are shown
becoming more disenchanted with public institutions, as they participate in a sit-in at City
Hall with police surrounding them, denounce the campaigns against ETHS as racist, and
express their demand to claim rights to their education. (Wun 3)
3. According to ethnic studies scholar Dylan Rodrguez (2012), the US state and its
institutions are predicated upon and reproduce the logic of white supremacy, settler
colonialism, chattel slavery, and ongoing forms of racial and gendered violence. The
films emphasis on the importance of institutional (e.g. school and legislative systems)
recognition unwittingly reifies the logic of the state and the dominant ideologies
embedded within it. Given Rodrguezs analysis of the state, the films narrative provides
a limited critique of the discourses surrounding the campaign to end ethnic studies
program. (Wun 3)
4. Instead of seeking to integrate or demonstrate that ETHS/MAS and its students are a
part of the fabric of America, supporters of ETHS may better serve the needs of students
of color by facilitating an abolitionist pedagogyone that does not try to ground its
claims for recognition in the U.S. state, but instead intends to disrupt the state and its
institutions, because they are purveyors of violence. (Wun 3)
5. Radio: The schools are turning these kids into angry young radicals, schools are
supposed to be the kids to think for themselves, not to indoctrinate them into left leaning
views of teachers, and Im speaking out because I think if the people get the facts I think
they will be outraged by this (35:53 - 36:06)
6. Curtis Agosto: They talked about my classroom in the National Review, which is a
conservative, very reputable conservative magazine, it was an online edition. So Im sure
theres people that dont like us, dont support, critical of us, all over the country. Theres
plenty of things said about me. Plenty of hurtful things (45:07 - 45:23)