LATS 332 Latinos and Education: The Politics of Schooling Language, and Latino Studies (Same as American Studies 332) (Not offered 2006-2007; to be offered 2007-2008) (W)*
Schools have often become the focal point for debates over the relationship between cultural identity, intellectual abilities, and the production of knowledge.
What should be taught, who should be taught, and how they should be taught
frame the politics of schooling. Language has often taken center stage in these
debates. This course examines the effects of educational policies and practices
on the development of Latina/o students and communities. We will also consider how these students and communities have resourcefully carved out spaces
and made demands to meet their educational needs. Topics include school desegregation, bilingual education, student walk-outs and sit-ins, as well as the origins and advancement of Chicano Studies, Puerto Rican Studies, and more recently Latino Studies programs on college campuses. Through a series of three
essays, students will critically engage the major themes of the course as they also
engage each other in the form of peer-reviews and other in-class writing workshops.
Format: discussion. Evaluation will be based on class participation, class presentations, and three essays (8-10 pages each).
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 19 (expected: 12). Preference given to Latina/o Studies concentrators.