By Alan Bean

Houston Independent School District just voted in favor of teaching Mexican-American Studies in district schools.  The vote was unanimous.  As the article below indicates, HISD intends to petition the Texas State Board of Education to make Mexican-American studies part of the statewide curriculum.

This suggestion will be strenuously opposed since it flies in the face of recent SBOE precedent.  Pat Hardy, a state board member representing parts of Tarrant and Parker Counties, summed up the prevailing attitude when she said,

“We’re not about Hispanic history; we’re about American history,” Hardy said. “We’re not about taking each little group out and saying, ‘You’re the majority, so we’re going to teach your history.’ We’re Americans, United States people.”

 

Hardy’s “We’re Americans” appeal may reflect the fact that she is facing a strong challenge from a Tea Party candidate, but this perspective has controlled the ideological playing field in the Lone Star State for decades.   (more…)