National Zinn Education Award Given to Tucson’s Mexican American Studies Director Sean Arce

By Jeff Biggers

In honor of embattled Mexican American Studies director Sean Arce’s leadership role in “one of the most significant and successful public school initiatives on the teaching of history in the U.S.,” the Zinn Education Project announced its selection of Tucson’s beloved educator as the inaugural recipient of the 2012 Myles Horton Education Award for Teaching People’s History.

“Tucson’s Mexican American Studies program gets it absolutely right: Ground the curriculum in students’ lives, teach about what matters in the world, respect students as intellectuals, and help students imagine themselves as promoters of justice,” Zinn Education Project co-director Bill Bigelow said in the press release. “I’m thrilled that the Zinn Education Project is able to honor the work of Sean Arce by recognizing him with the first Myles Horton Award for Teaching People’s History. Mr. Arce has begun work that we hope will be emulated by school districts throughout the United States.”