In the News

After revelations former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels sought to ban classic work, public interest soars

by Anne Donofrio-Holter Mountain View High School history teacher Chris Lewis was recognized last week for his essay on “how a people’s history is being taught, how teachers were introduced to the work of author Howard Zinn, and how students are responding to learning a more complete version of U.S. history,” along with how he implements the works Zinn in his classroom. “The Zinn Education Project website has allowed me to find lesson plans and activities that help my students interact with challenging information,” said Lewis.  “What impressed me most about the lesson was the engagement required by students.  They had to interact at a high level of critical thinking.” Lewis’ class recently held a Socratic seminar discussion of “The Coming Revolt of the Guard,” in “A People’s History of the United States,” centering around Zinn’s prediction for the future of America where students assessed the impact of small revolutions and evaluated Zinn’s proposal that it will be the disgruntled middle class that will rebel against the current system. “Students are analyzing the ways in which the American Dream has changed over time and how the definition changes depending on the lens through which it is viewed,” said Lewis.  “I want students to see that the so called “dream” was different for the Puritans as they fled religious persecution, different for African Americans during the Civil Rights movement and different for those that live below the poverty line in today’s world.”

Zinn Education Project's Linda Christensen explains why it's important to teach about the little-known 1921 Tulsa (Okla.) Race Riot.

By ICTMN Staff After being called “one of the most influential educators in the 20th century” by the Zinn Education Project, Sean Arce, director of the Tucson Unified School District’s banned Mexican American Studies (MAS) program, was fired. On April 2, Arce was named the recipient of the 2012 Myles Horton Education Award for Teaching People’s History, an award given to honor “those who promote democracy through education by ensuring that students have the knowledge and skills to be informed and active participants in their communities, country, and the world,” says the Zinn Education Project website.

By Alexis Huicochea | Photo by Benjie Sanders

The Tucson Unified School District will not be renewing the contract for Sean Arce, the director of its Mexican American Studies program.

TUSD Superintendent John Pedicone would not comment on why the decision was made, saying only that the Governing Board was "not willing to renew his contract for a number of reasons."

National award granted

The news of the change in leadership comes as Arce is being honored by a national education group for his work.

The Zinn Education Project selected Arce to receive the 2012 Myles Horton Award for Teaching People's History.

By Jeff Biggers

While the Daily Show brilliantly reminded millions of viewers last night of the disgraceful racist elements behind the attack on Tucson's acclaimed and now outlawed Mexican American Studies program, educators across the nation recalled a teaching moment.

Over a half century ago, facing a similar segregationist campaign to shut down the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee, famous for its pioneering desegregation and civil rights efforts, folk school co-founder Myles Horton informed his rabid foes: "A school is an idea, and you can't padlock an idea."

Invoking Horton's towering legacy today, the Zinn Education Project bestowed its national Myles Horton Education Award on embattled Mexican American Studies director Sean Arce for his leadership role in "one of the most significant and successful public school initiatives on the teaching of history in the U.S."

Tucson's Mexican American Studies Director Sean Arce Wins National Zinn Education Award By Jeff Biggers While the Daily Show brilliantly reminded millions of viewers last night of the disgraceful racist elements behind the attack on Tucson's acclaimed and now outlawed Mexican American Studies program, educators across the nation recalled a teaching moment. Sean Arce was director of the now outlawed Mexican American Studies program in Tuscon. Over a half century ago, facing a similar segregationist campaign to shut down the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee, famous for its pioneering desegregation and civil rights efforts, folk school co-founder Myles Horton informed his rabid foes: "A school is an idea, and you can't padlock an idea."

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.”