Public Intellectualism and Ethnic Studies Advocacy in Texas

• In Event: Beyond Dreams and Possibilities—Revolucionarias en Acción as Movement Intellectuals Preparing Critical Pedagogues

Abstract

Objectives/Purposes: This purpose of this paper is to recount the work of public intellectuals involved in the current Ethnic Studies movement in Texas. It draws from the work of the K-12 Committee of the NACCS Tejas Foco (a statewide chapter of the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies) that has monitored and coordinated the work of Mexican American scholars who are advancing MAS and Ethnic Studies statewide. These efforts consist of the following: developing K-12 curriculum; advocating for MAS and Ethnic Studies courses in press conferences and rallies—including before school boards, Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) and educational resources centers; promoting dual credit courses; teaching these courses; sponsoring professional development workshops; hosting statewide conferences and summits; writing Ethnic Studies legislation; and building a statewide network of persons and organizations involved in local, Ethnic Studies initiatives. A special focus is on the momentous Texas State Board of Education Hearings in September and November, 2016 when the Mexican American community—that was led by community-engaged scholars like ourselves—successfully challenged a profoundly racist textbook that was under consideration for adoption at this time.

Theoretical framework: Foucault’s power-knowledge perspective to illustrate how the knowledge that was provided in the actual racist textbook and its defense, presumed a “people without history.” This analysis also draws on Freire’s (1973, 1976) key notion of putting learning in the service of social justice to account for our success in defeating this potentially harmful textbook agenda.

Mode: Conceptual/theoretical model that draws on the author’s previously published work.

Data sources: Documentary evidence will also be used to narrate the evolution of an important social movement. This analysis additionally incorporates an analysis of 20 hours of transcription of two Texas State Board of Education hearings in 2016 to capture the voices, perspectives, and highly emotional responses to an agenda to approve a racist textbook that was ultimately unanimously rejected by the board because of its inaccuracies and racist bias. This will get supplemented with personal commentary on the meaning of community-engaged scholarship in the context of this high-profile debate.

Conclusions: This paper demonstrates the power of community-engaged scholars to disrupt a powerful, right-wing agenda in Texas without which the ramifications would have been widespread and profound.

Scholarly Significance: We conclude that for all Ethnic Studies advocates to be public intellectuals, they must explore their stance towards their own identities and develop sociocultural and sociopolitical knowledge, skills, and dispositions in order to work effectively to disrupt imperialist, racist discourses and agendas.

Author

• Angela Valenzuela, The University of Texas - Austin