Wait - what?

What's that sound old-school cartoon characters make when they're confused and their heads flop back and forth? ("Uddah-yuddah-yuddah -BOINK!"?) 'Cause I made the same sound a second ago when I read this:

UPDATE: Arizona Governor Jan Brewer has signed a bill that will end ethnic studies classes in the state. Her action came one day after UN human rights experts released a statement criticizing the bill on the grounds that all people have the right to learn about their own cultural and linguistic heritage.

The bill bans classes that "promote resentment toward a race or class of people," "are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group," or "advocate ethnic solidarity instead of treating pupils as individuals."

Also prohibited: all those classes that "promote the overthrow of the U.S. government."

Wait - what? "Promote resentment toward a race or class of people"? "Designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group"? "Advocate ethnic solidarity instead of treating pupils as individuals"? You mean, like - I dunno - every European-American-focused history course ever taught??? Because most of the history textbooks I had the misfortune to read growing up most certainly promoted resentment toward Native Americans, African Americans and other ethnic minorities, were pretty apparently designed for the comfort of white pupils (and their white school boards), and in my experience required me to regurgitate "facts" that advocated my white superiority, as opposed to my Native American/poor white trash/historically pacifist heritage, not to mention my common sense.

If we are, in fact, talking about classes like "African American studies" or "Latino studies" or something else, then I think it warrants pointing out that those types of programs present American history/social studies from the perspective of a certain population (as opposed to privileged white people). If hearing about the decisions that a white (usually male, always wealthy) society made to advance itself over ethnic or racial minorities breeds "resentment" toward those people, I kind of think that's a perfectly valid initial response.

But every multicultural program I've taken tries pretty hard NOT to brainwash students into wanting to lynch Whitey. Students *should* be angry when they learn about the ways ethnic, racial, gender and religious bigotry has been used to consolidate the power of the few, and how that dynamic still affects us. But the great thing about these programs is the way they open the conversation and promote critical thinking. (Which is why African-American studies classes aren't just for African Americans, women's studies not just for women, etc.

Does this affect public colleges, too? Wow, Arizona is not remotely prepared for the brain-drain that's about to happen to them. Every student, every professor, every dean who can't stomach some random person in state government totally eliminating their academic freedom is about to transfer. And the ones who stay will be wondering when the governor will be coming for them.

And, "all those classes that 'promote the overthrow of the U.S. government.'"? What the hell? Arizona is officially off my list of places I ever want to visit. Clearly something deeply nuts is happening there.