The Mexican American Studies Program at a local high school in Tucson, Arizona helped increase the Latino graduation rate and the number of students who went to college. The recently banned program is now the subject of a new documentary, Precious Knowledge, to air next week on PBS. We speak to Eren Isabel McGinnis, the co-director of the film, and Alanna Castro, one of the students who took part in the program.
Click here to download this week’s show.
Eren Isabel McGinnis has produced award-winning documentaries for PBS and other international media outlets for several years. She co-founded Caf Sisters Productions with Christine Fugate, an all-woman production company. She also co-founded Dos Vatos Productions with Ari Luis Palos.
Throughout history when countries fight with one another, they are determined to either erase the culture they aspire to completely dominate or eliminate it while transparently embedding their own. Although not always stated, America continues to do this in a more concealed way. Instead of blatantly stating that they will completely disregard the variety of cultures that make way to America, they banish or eliminate certain programs. Specifically, programs that better ones self while reinvigorating the faith and prominence that was lost when entering America.
The fact that The Mexican Studies Program at a local high school in Tucson Arizona increased graduation rates amongst Latino Students and reinvigorated the concepts that Mexicans have created legacy within the United States, is threatening. This threatens a notion that has been embedded for a number of years, European supremacy. In efforts to validate this belief, we must think analytically. For a number of years Latinos have fought in Wars like WW2, which many people are unaware of. Why? Because it isn’t widely stated within History textbooks. Unfortunately, Mexicans are attributed with a number of stereotypes that people believe. Nevertheless, if a class is given that can erase these stereotypes that have been embedded with society, people, better yet America world do anything possible to hinder it from being implemented.