Seven books that were banned last year by the Tucson Unified School District after the elimination of Mexican American Studies curriculum were approved Tuesday as supplementary materials by the Governing Board in a 3-2 vote, the Arizona Daily Star reported.
However, the decision "is raising red flags in the Arizona Department of Education," the Daily Star wrote. In a statement, the department said it "is concerned whether the Governing Board's actions indicate an attempt to return to practices found to have violated Arizona's statutes in 2011."
TUSD superintendent H.T. Sanchez said the district, which did not check with the state before making its decision, was confident the books will be used appropriately: "If I thought otherwise, we would be having a different conversation."
UNIDOS, a youth coalition formed during the Mexican American Studies controversy, called the decision "good news," but added that TUSD still has more work to do. "There have been horrendous, shameful abuses on our culture and our community," said UNIDOS member Gabriel M. Schivone. "This has never really been about books. It's the entire curriculum that was targeted, criminalized and outlawed."
