`` Dangerous Minds Arizon Banning Of Mexican American...

In Curtis Acosta’s article, â€Å"Dangerous Minds In Tucson: The Banning of Mexican American Studies and Critical Thinking In Arizona†, he explains about the injustice surrounding the banning of his Mexican American studies program (MAS) in Tuscon, Arizona. Acosta main argument was that the politicians in Arizona are taking away the chance for America’s youth, particularly the minorities, of becoming significant contributors to society. In contrast, one of the politicians (Tom Horne) who was influential in banning the ethnic studies program, wrote a letter, â€Å"An Open Letter to the Citizens of Tucson†, explaining why he felt the ethnic studies program should be terminated. Horne believed that the curriculum being taught was a violation of the Constitution. The debate was to find better ways to educate our students whether it was through critical pedagogy or individualism. A teacher should focus on developing students critical thinking skills and ethica l standards, as Acosta does by connecting to students personal lives, teaching students’ compassion and understanding, and keeping the class engaged. A key component in teaching students critical thinking is being able to engage students in the active process of learning, and one can accomplish this through teaching the class by involving relevant topics that students can relate to. This is a main aspect of Acosta’s critical pedagogy curriculum which involves having the student participate in the academic experience. Acosta shows