
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Opponents of HB 2281, a new Arizona law aimed at eliminating the ethnic studies program at the Tucson Unified School District, filed their long-threatened lawsuit Monday afternoon in Tucson. Teachers opposed to the crackdown banned together to file the suit, which names state schools superintendent Tom Horne as a defendant. The suit claims the state law violates both the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the US Constitution. Horne fought for the law. Among other things, it forbids ethnic studies programs from teaching racial solidarity and from advocating the overthrow of the US government. Horne has acknowledged that the law is aimed squarely at TUSD's program, which he says promotes "ethnic chauvinism." Until now supporters of TUSD's program have said it does not violate Horne's law. At an afternoon press conference, KGUN9's Sergio Avila asked plaintiff's attorney Richard Martinez, "If it doesn't do all those things, why even bring forward this lawsuit?"' Martinez replied, "Because in Tom Horne's eyes we do. We've already been judged guilty." Late Thursday Horne issued a statement blasting the lawsuit. "It is fundamentally wrong to divide students up according to their racial group and teach them separately. That is why HB 2281 was passed, to put an end to these divisive programs and to dividing students by race in the 21st century." The statement contained harsh words for the border activist group, Derechos Humanos. "The 'Derechos' group is an open <b>...</b>
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