In the litany of bad substitute teaching experiences, Anthony Hill’s account would rank among the worst. “Would” being the key word, as Hill’s comments cannot be taken as reality.
If you have missed out on the brouhaha, Hill, an employee of Teachers on Call, a substitute teaching service, wrote a letter to Senate President Russell Pearce about his unfortunate experience teaching eighth grade at Harold W. Smith Elementary School in Glendale.
Hill directs myriad derogatory and unfounded comments at students in a class whom he says were “almost all Hispanic and a couple of Black children.”
His experience went something like this: The kids refused to do the assignment or recite the Pledge of Allegiance and then proceeded to tear out textbook pages and call white Americans racist.
If even a portion of this list were true, any teacher would have a right to be upset and apprehensive about entering a classroom again. However, let’s not condemn an entire student population or race on the basis of one experience.
Now, let’s go back to early March. After receiving an indignant letter from 60 Arizona CEOs concerned about a further economic boycott of Arizona, five highly controversial immigration bills failed in the state Senate.
By circulating the letter to fellow Republicans without checking its validity, Pearce further undermined his cause. Sen. Lori Klein, R-Anthem, read the letter on the Senate floor and, well, the rest is history.
Now, back to Hill’s letter, which states: “I have found that substitute teaching in these areas most of the Hispanic students do not want to be educated but rather be gang members and gangsters.”
Hill goes on to reveal his true ideology and underlying philosophy.
“They (Hispanic students) hate America and are determined to reclaim this area for Mexico. If we are able to remove the illegals out of our schools … the students who wanted to learn would have a better chance to do so and become productive citizens,” he wrote.
Unfortunately this is a case where the author is more concerned with playing to Pearce than in helping students.
As an education major, I have interned at three schools with high minority populations and have not seen one iota of the type of behavior Hill describes.
Hill may have been disrespected by some unruly students, and, for that, he has a right to be upset. But more importantly, by generalizing and exaggerating one’s experiences, he destroys his own credibility.
The silver lining in the latest immigration debate is clear; it will simply never end.
Such a ridiculous letter should not be read in the hallowed halls of the Arizona Senate. If Arizona politicians want to actually solve a real problem in education, putting an end to the never-ending budget cuts would be a good start.
Most importantly, let’s work to stop marginalizing our citizens on the Senate floor via radical immigration bills or racist letters. We would do well to remind our state senators that America is a united nation. And, more importantly, the Arizona Legislature should stop its ill-conceived attempt to pull us apart.
Tell Zach why you ridiculed your sub at zlevinep@asu.edu
