The Echo

Tucson School Board Won't Join Ethnic-Studies Lawsuit
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2011/01/tucson_school_board_wont_join.html
By Mary Ann Zehr on January 20, 2011 9:39 AM
The school board of the Tucson Unified school district won't join a lawsuit filed in federal court by Tucson teachers challenging the constitutionality of a new state law banning courses that promote solidarity among a particular ethnic group. Instead, the school board plans to file an appeal with the state of Arizona regarding the state's determination that its courses in Mexican-American studies violate the new state law.

The school board has passed a resolution supporting the courses and saying they are in compliance with the new state law. Teachers of the courses and the administrator for Tucson Unified's Mexican-American studies program, however, are taking the approach that the law violates the U.S. Constitution.

The New York Times published an editorial this week saying it is regrettable that the Tucson school board didn't join the lawsuit.

A sad note related to this issue is that the federal judge who was expected to review the federal case on ethnic studies was John M. Roll, one of the six people killed during the attack on Jan. 8 on U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson. Richard M. Martinez, the lawyer representing the Tucson teachers and administrator who filed the lawsuit against the ethnic-studies ban, commended the judge for his fairness in comments to the New York Times in an article published soon after the shooting.

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Published Online: January 21, 2011


NYC Suspends Teacher Bonuses Program
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/01/21/399601nyteacherbonuses_ap.html?tkn=ZSUFddAusH7PKuyp3OcdMFIlqyhywjlJy4AT&cmp=clp-edweek

New York

New York City's Education Department is suspending a pilot program that awarded annual bonuses to teachers based on student performance.

The city says the program will be suspended as soon as this year's bonuses are given out. It says the program could restart if a study due late this spring shows it had a positive effect in schools.

Teachers at 26 schools will get bonuses this year. That's down from 160 schools last year.

The agency says the city's tight budget was one of the factors in the decision to end the program.