The documentary "Precious Knowledge," by Ari Palos and Eren Isabel McGinnis, focuses on a small group of Mexican-American students and treachers in the Tuscon Public School District of Arizona and the curriculum of the ethnic studies program (Raza) they are enrolled in, and attempts by white lawmakers to eliminate the program. 

     The most recent US Census (2010) lists the Hispanic population of Tuscon Arizona at just over 42%, almost three times the national average. Yet according to the documentary, the traditional high school curriculum did not provide more inclusive educational opportunities. And similar to what we read in Rios and Galicia Smoking guns or smoke & mirrors? (2013), Mexican-American students in Tuscon High School felt as if they were being pushed out of school, even though they wanted to be there and knew how important it was to finish their education. In fact, one teacher stated that close to half of all Hispanic students had dropped out of school. To reach the Mexican-American students in their school district, Tuscon High School established an ethnic studies program with typical courses such as writing, history, and math, using concepts and examples steeped in the traditional ethnic culture of Mexico. Enrollment in the Raza program proved to be a gamechanger for the students involved. Participants felt connected to and proud of their heritage, and empowered to take control of their education. Students in the documentary can be heard making statements such statements as, "I hate when I can't be here," and "I want to go to school now!" Recalling the writings of Grace Boggs, a community-centered vision inspired the educators and administrators to make critical changes in favor of the student population. These changes offered tangible evidence of success, too. Test scores of students enrolled in Raza courses were higher than students not enrolled, additionally ethnic studies studies enjoyed a 93% graduation rate. 

     Unfortunately, not everyone in Arizona supported the Raza program, most notably Superintendent of Schools Tom Horne, and Senator John Huppenthal, both older, white men of professional status. Horne's arguments were fringe-based racial fears that hinged on the concept of "ReConquista," in which Mexicans would rise up and re-conquer the land that had been taken from them by the United States. Horne argued that because the curriculum was based on the writings of Marx and Guevara it was anti-American and Communist, and the Raza focus on Mexican culture was ultimately racist. Yet he couldn't understand the ultimate irony of an educated, middle-class white man representing the pinnacle of the public eduational authority suppressing an educational curriculum based on and about the local marginized population of students, even though it had proved to increase attendance, retention, and graduation of that marginalized student population. Likewise, Sen. Huppenthal also exhibited incredible tunnel-vision that focused almost soley on the fact that one book in the entire curriculum, Friere's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, was Marxist in nature. In fact, Pedagogy argues for a transformative education, similar to Dewey, but based on a critical framework. Huppenthal agrees to attend one of the Raza classes, yet afterward stated that although the students were intelligent, articulate, polite, and engaged in the class, that it was most likely staged for his benefit. It feels as if Huppenthal entered the classroom with his mind already made up. Both men argued that America is great, provides opportunities for everyone, and that all citizens are equal. But if that were true, why would even high school students recognize the fallacy in that statement?

It is impossible for just one history or literature course to cover everything about the United States in depth. Most curriculums offer little mention of Hispanic/Latinx, or other races and ethnicities, in their course content. Thus, ethnic studies courses allow students to discover diverse experiences of different ethnic groups within the United States, and basic knowledge that all citizens can use. Perhaps if Horne and Huppenthal had the opportunity to learn from ethnic studies courses, they would not have been so blind to the concerns of the Raza students. Precious Knowledge showed us that students found education to be more rewarding and relevant once they were allowed to engage with materials related to their personal sense of cultural and racial identity. Ethnic studies provide support and a fundamental knowledge about the histories, experiences, and artistic expressions of groups that are not often discussed, and ultimately benefit all students, not just "ethnic" students.