Arizona’s ban of the Mexican American Studies program in the Tucson Unified School District was only one of many discriminatory education policies that our state has faced. Arizona’s English-only instruction policy for English-learning students builds on this legacy of racism in our schools.
Until the Legislature repeals the English-only policy, which has the identical purpose of extinguishing diversity in our schools, TUSD should invest in bilingual programs for all students.
I learned the power of bilingual education at an early age. Starting in kindergarten, I attended a Japanese immersion program at a public school. Our teachers taught in Japanese every morning and in English every afternoon.
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