MEXICAN AMERICAN STUDIES COMING TO TEXAS CLASSROOMS

  

In a few years, public school students in Texas may have a chance to learn about Juan Seguin, Ernesto Zavala, and Cesar Chavez right along with Sam Houston, William Barrett Travis and Jim Bowie in a newly developed Mexican American Studies course.

The State Board of Education asked publishers to develop instructional materials for locally developed courses in Mexican American studies.  The board also encouraged courses in African-American, Native American  and Asian-American studies.

The 12 to 2 vote Friday  allows public schools to use newly developed materials to teach ethnic studies courses under the special topics in the social studies curriculum program.

Thomas Saenz of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund says this is a ‘bright spot in recent history’ and what he calls the attempts at ‘minimizing’ the impact  of such personalities as Cesar Chavez and Thurgood Marshall. ]

Although Texas school districts are currently able to offer ethnic studies courses, most do not because  they lack the resources or expertise  to develop such classes.

The best estimates say the course development will take two to three years.  Texas residents will have the opportunity to review any proposed educational materials submitted by the publishers.