HOUSE MEMORIAL 95

51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013

INTRODUCED BY

Antonio "Moe" Maestas

A MEMORIAL

EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR DIVERSE CURRICULA IN NEW MEXICO SCHOOLS, INCLUDING SPECIFIC BOOKS THAT EMBODY THE SPIRIT OF DIVERSITY AND ACCEPTANCE.

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's neighboring state of Arizona in 2011 approved legislation that forced the Tucson unified school district to suspend its Mexican American studies program in 2012; and

     WHEREAS, as a result of the suspension, seven books that embody the spirit of diversity, tolerance and acceptance were effectively banned by being moved from classrooms to the school district's storage facility; and

     WHEREAS, the seven books are as follows: Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, by Rodolfo Acuna; 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures, edited by Elizabeth Martinez; Pedagogy of the Oppressed, by Paulo Freire; Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, by Bill Bigelow; Critical Race Theory, by Richard Delgado; Message to Aztlan, by Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales; and Chicano!: The History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement, by F. Arturo Rosales; and

     WHEREAS, Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, written by Rodolfo Acuna, serves as an ideal foundation for understanding and analyzing Chicano history, while emphasizing the importance of not only taking pride in one's cultural history, but also increasing cultural awareness and creating a legacy of Chicanos who contribute to the American landscape; and

     WHEREAS, 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures, edited by Elizabeth Martinez, examines United States history from the Mexican American perspective; and

     WHEREAS, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, by Paulo Freire, has helped to empower the oppressed through liberation and self- achievement; and

     WHEREAS, Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years, by Bill Bigelow, has changed the way schools teach about the discovery of America, creating a deeper understanding of history from 1492 to the present; and

     WHEREAS, Critical Race Theory, by Richard Delgado, seeks to explore racial dynamics in the ever-evolving multicultural American landscape; and

     WHEREAS, Message to Aztlan, by Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales, famed Chicano activist, shares a compilation of his poems; and

     WHEREAS, Chicano!: The History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement, by F. Arturo Rosales, recounts the struggle for Mexican Americans to secure and protect their civil rights; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico embraces and is proud of its rich cultural heritage and diversity; and

     WHEREAS, it is essential that New Mexico's students learn to be tolerant, accepting and open to cultural differences and perspectives; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico's school curricula should reflect the spirit of New Mexico, a spirit of acceptance and a celebration of different cultures and beliefs; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexicans are encouraged to read all books that celebrate diversity; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico is not Arizona;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that support be expressed for these books and any other books that encourage New Mexicans to understand their cultural history while empowering a generation of youth who are proud of their heritage and ready to contribute to the rapidly evolving American landscape; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor of the state of New Mexico, the public education department and the governor of the state of Arizona.

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