Students in tucsons mexican american studies program become academic warriors while state lawmakers attempt to ban the classes. More about the film and other showings across the country on the precious knowledge facebook page. Meanwhile, tucson unified school districts mexican american studies department has data showing that almost 93% of. Precious knowledge is a coproduction of dos vatos productions, the independent television service itvs, arizona public media, and latino public broadcasting, with funding provided by the corporation for public broadcasting cpb. Jeff biggers, huffington post precious knowledge illustrates an epic civil rights battle as brave students and teachers battle with lawmakers and public opinion in an effort to keep their classes alive. Precious knowledge the film, precious knowledge, shows viewers how minority students in the tucson unified school district are being treated in public schools. This film tells the story of educators who educate their hispanic students using the perspective of the book, pedagogy of the oppressed. The film situates its narrative in the context of a longer history of ongoing assaults against immigration and the.
May 17, 2012 watch precious knowledge premiering may 17, 2012 check local listings about the film precious knowledge interweaves the stories of students in the mexican american studies program at tucson. Precious knowledge reports from the frontlines of one of the most contentious battles in public education in recent memory, the fight over mexican american studies programs in arizona public schools. Now you can rent or download to watch the full precious knowledge documentary online from vimeo on demand. The march 25 showing was introduced by suzan shown harjo, president of the morning star institute.
Independent lens precious knowledge video extra 2 pbs duration. Rarely has a film been so timely and downright revelatory. Subscribe weve got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. One of carberrys students explains how the film precious knowledge changed her feelings about herself and her family. Thinking about precious knowledge the film miriam e. In a balanced but unabashedly passionate film directed by ari luis palos and produced by eren isabel mcginnis, precious knowledge serves as a remarkable and seemingly more honest counter argument to last years widely acclaimed waiting for superman, the documentary film on charter schools and the failure of public instruction. Along with their harsh antiimmigrant stance, arizona lawmakers recently passed a bill giving unilateral power to the. A hard film to watch to have to watch the suffering precious goes through. Corporation for public broadcasting while 48 percent of mexicanamerican students currently drop out of high school, tucson ariz. Perhaps youve seen the wonderful film, precious knowledge, about the mexican american studies program in tucson. Reflections on precious knowledge corina gomez portfolio. The film precious knowledge takes a deeper look into the defense and fall of the ethnic studies program within the tucson unified school district. Directed by ari luis palos and produced by eren isabel mcginnis. These educators were exceptional and reinforced a sense of love and selfesteem.
Precious knowledge the battle for ethnic studies in tucson, arizona. The documentarys focus on quetzalcoatlprecious knowledgehighlights what the activists in the film are fighting for. This film marked the acting debut of sidibe, who portrays a young woman struggling against. Precious knowledge is a reference to mayan concepts that say to selfreflect tezcatlipoca, seek out precious and beautiful knowledge quetzalcoatl, begin to act huitzilopochtli and ultimately transform xipe totec. But when the film recently premiered on pbs, clark was noticeably.
The film follows four students and their peers in a struggle against the banning of mexican american studies in the tusd. Ari palos is an award winning documentary that follows the debate over the ethnic studies curriculum eths in the tucson unified school district tusd, including the political climate that surrounded the passage of house bill 2281the bill that dismantled the program. Mar 11, 20 last thursday the university of illinois urbanachampaigns graduate school of library and information science gslis screened the film precious knowledge. Precious knowledge 2011 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. You cant just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think its going to get on by itself. Do you think that teaching the history of specific ethnicities promotes a. Sep 03, 2015 precious knowledge illustrates what motivates tucson high school students and teachers to form the front line of an epic civil rights battle.
Mcginnis earned her ba in anthropology from san diego state university and a certificate in film and video theory and production from university college, dublin. Premiering on independent lens on 17 may, ari luis palos documentary makes a very clear argument against arizonas hb 2281, passed in february 2011. Precious knowledge, 2011, dos vatos productions, 75 min. Based on the novel push by sapphire, or simply precious, is a 2009 american drama film, directed and coproduced by lee daniels. Jul 18, 20 the first version of precious knowledge, which premiered in tucson in march 2011, showed that warrior clark had become known as. As mcginnis and palos neared completion of precious knowledge last fall the film is slated to air nationally on pbs in 2011, i interviewed mcginnis about the film and her work. Watch precious knowledge online vimeo on demand on vimeo. Precious knowledge ethnic studies in arizona independent lens. I felt empowered with the speeches the educators in the video gave and with the progress and interest the students had in their education. Precious knowledge is a 2011 educational and political documentary that centers on the. Precious 2009 full movie, precious 2009 full movie, precious 2009 full movie dvd quality precious 2009 full movie dvdrip online free precious 2009 full movie dvd quality online precious. Watch precious knowledge premiering may 17, 2012 check local listings about the film precious knowledge interweaves the stories of students in the mexican american studies program at tucson. An introduction to the analysis of the film precious knowledge.
Only wish the ending gave us some indication of what lied ahead for precious rather than just knowing she had escaped the brutality of her mother and abuse inflicted on her by others. In truth, precious knowledge is the type of unique and powerful film that could ultimately shift public perception and policy on one of the most misunderstood education programs in the country. Precious knowledge arizonas battle over ethnic studies in public schools, while students transform lawmakers push to eliminate the classes. One of the teachers featured is curtis acosta, along with his remarkable students in the letter below, which acosta allowed rethinking schools to reprint here, he offers a perspective on the curricular repression that teachers and students are confronting in tucson. This film focuses on the mexican american studies program masp at tucson high school during its final year before arizona lawmakers passed a bill to abolish ethnic studies programs in the state of arizona.
Fletcher, adapted from the 1996 novel push by sapphire. One of the teachers featured is curtis acosta, along with his remarkable students. Precious knowledge ethnic studies in arizona independent. Precious knowledge notes that, although the dropout rate among latinao is close to 50 per cent nationwide, the graduation rate for students enrolled in mas is 93 per cent. Documentary insiders to share precious knowledge life. The film interweaves the stories of several students enrolled in the mexican american studies program at tucson high school with interviews with teachers, parents, school officials, and the. Explore our collection of motivational and famous quotes by authors you know and love. As the documentary begins, it introduced priscilla, gilbert, crystal and mariah. A 2010 teacherfiled lawsuit to allow the program to continue was shot down, but this year, a federal judge ruled that tucson students who claim that their first amendment rights were violated by the legislation, can sue the. Precious knowledge argues against arizonas hb 2281.
Disenfranchised high school seniors become academic warriors and community leaders in tucson, arizonas embattled ethnic studies classes while state lawmakers attempt to eliminate the program. Watch precious knowledge premiering may 17, 2012 check local listings about the film precious knowledge interweaves the stories of students in the mexican american studies program at. Precious knowledge one of the four faces of the mayan calender delves into the students passion for learning and in some cases their transformation from near dropouts to. The film precious knowledge interweaves the stories of students in the mexican american studies program at tucson high school. In 1997, community activism led the tucson city council to set up a study committee to look at ways of boosting latino student achievement and. They are four high school students who attend the mexican american studies at tucson high school in arizona. Precious knowledge is timely as the nation turns its focus toward a wave of antiimmigration legislation in arizona, with other states planning to follow suit. The film connects the struggle over eths with a history of racism and xenophobia in the state. Precious knowledge pbs documentary on arizonas mexican. Precious knowledge illustrates what motivates tucson high school students and teachers to form the front line of an epic civil rights battle.
While 48 percent of mexican american students currently drop out of high school, tucson highs mexican american studies program has become a national model of educational success, with 100 percent of enrolled students. Last thursday the university of illinois urbanachampaigns graduate school of library and information science gslis screened the film precious knowledge. At the same time, the film places the founding of the ethnic studies program in the larger historical context of tucsons longtime. Precious knowledge education essay sample samples education precious knowledge precious knowledge precious knowledge is a predisposed gaze at the programs presented to the mexicanamerican students and the efforts of state education administration and legislators to prohibit them. Th e documenta ry was directed by ari luis palos and produced by eren isabel mcginnis, the founders of dos vatos production s precious knowl edge interweaves the stories of students and teachers in the. Ari luis palos has directed and shot a number of films including. Watch precious knowledge premiering may 17, 2012 check local listings. Using film to model culturally sustaining pedagogy and youth civic activism for social studies teachers.
Your struggle is my struggle by marcela itzel ortega. Weber state university 18th annual wsu diversity conference. Pbs documentary precious knowledge focuses on a high school districts banned mexican american studies program. Teaching for change was proud to host the film at busboys and poets where it was the feature film for the march focusin series at all four locations. Precious, which is underpinned by a towering performance by gabourey sidibe as the abused heroine, is a grim, yet ultimately affirmative movie, writes philip. Precious knowledge interweaves the stories of students in the.
Customers who viewed this item also viewed these digital items. Disenfranchised high school seniors become academic warriors and community leaders in tucsons embattled ethnic studies classes while state lawmakers attempt to. While 48 percent of mexican american students currently drop out of high school, tucson highs mexican american studies program has become a national model of educational success, with 93 percent of enrolled students graduating. Precious knowled ge is a 2011 educational and politica l documenta ry that centers on the banning of the mexicanamerican studiesmas program in the tucson unified school district of arizona. Nov 10, 2016 weber state university 18th annual wsu diversity conference. Mar 17, 2011 precious knowledge one of the four faces of the mayan calender delves into the students passion for learning and in some cases their transformation from near dropouts to furious learners. The film stars gabourey sidibe, monique, paula patton, and mariah carey. While 48 percent of mexican american students currently drop out of high school, tucson highs mexican american studies program has become a national model of educational success, with 100 percent of enrolled students graduating from high school and 85 percent going on to attend college. The documentary precious knowledge left me feeling empowered, sad, slightly helpless, hopeful, and inspired. In spite of how well the program is doing, there has been many disapproval of the program. May 17, 2012 in 1997, community activism led the tucson city council to set up a study committee to look at ways of boosting latino student achievement and reducing dropout rates.
Precious knowledge reports from the frontlines of one of the most contentious battles in public education in recent memory, the fight. In the process, precious knowledge reveals the ideological and political fervor afoot in arizona and underscoring the antiethnicstudies ban and antiimmigrant measures, which claims the mas courses promote the overthrow of the government and ethnic resentment. Arizona lawmakers believe tucson high school teachers are teaching victimization, racism and revolution in their ethnic studies classes. The documentary precious knowledge interweaves the stories of students in the mexican american studies.
The first version of precious knowledge, which premiered in tucson in march 2011, showed that warrior clark had become known as. A letter from curtis acosta perhaps youve seen the wonderful film, precious knowledge, about the mexican american studies program in tucson. While 48 percent of mexican american students currently drop out of high school, tucson highs mexican american studies program has become a national model of educational success, with 93 percent of enrolled students graduating from high school and 85. May 10, 2012 pbs documentary precious knowledge focuses on a high school districts banned mexican american studies program. In spite of how well the program is doing, there has been many disapproval of. A high school history teacher centers a study of social movements on the fight over the mexican american studies program in tucson. During the standoff, as arizona lawmakers bombarded the students and educators with threats and false claims.
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