By Ernesto Bustillos

Note: Ernesto Bustillos is a member of A.R.E. (Association of Raza Educators) San Diego. Some of the material used in this article formed part of a presentation delivered at a workshop for the Teachers-4-Social Justice Conference, Oct. 9, 2010, held at Mission High School in San Francisco, CA. This article is also found in the Winter 2010 issue of Regeneración, journal of the A.R.E State Wide Concilio.

Within the last 30 years we have witnessed U.S. Colonial-Capitalist corporations more aggressively moving towards the complete control of education, as well as the destruction of teachers unions. Along with denying our youth a relevant-meaningful education, elimination of teacher positions, and the debasing of the teaching profession –a major aim of this movement is the conversion of “Public Schools” into profit making enterprises.

In 2007, Jonathan Kozol, liberal educator and author of many books, among them Shame of A Nation, wrote in an article titled the Big Enchilada:

“An investment banking firm known as Montgomery Securities described the financial benefits to be derived from privatizing our public schools. ‘The education industry,’ according to these analysts, ‘represents, in our opinion, the final frontier of a number of sectors once under public control’ that ‘have either voluntarily opened’ or, they note in pointed terms, have ‘been forced’ to open up to private enterprise. Indeed, they write, ‘the education industry represents the largest market opportunity’ since health care services were privatized during the 1970s. (1)

Moreover, an article published in the journal Guerrillera/o de La Pluma, described the current situation of Raza and the question of Education as:

“A conscious-historical materialist (reality) observation leads us to the understanding that these ‘cutbacks’ and ‘layoffs’ in education are attacks primarily aimed at working class and poor Mexican- Raza-Native Americans, Asian-Pacific Islanders, and Africans. As activists and revolutionaries have been saying for the last three decades, they form part of the government’s ‘low intensity warfare’ whose purpose is to keep us from developing the type of mass revolutionary liberation movements that existed within the belly of beast (U.S.) in the late 1960s and early 1970s.” (2)

OBAMA IS NOTHING BUT A “FRONT” FOR THE CONTINUING WAR AGAINST EDUCATION, TEACHERS, AND OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES
On the other hand, the regime of U.S. President Barack Obama has done nothing to roll back or eliminate any thing fundamental or of consequence in regards to the provisions found in the NCLBA (No Child Left Behind Act). A product of the racist-reactionary, former president, George Bush, the NCLBA took effect in 2002. Eliminating any curriculum that teaches critical thinking, NCBA imposes standardized testing, relies heavily on “monolithic teaching”, and down plays the importance of liberal arts-humanities and multicultural studies in the educational process.

In fact, Obama has implemented two programs that further support the essence NCLBA: (1) “Educate To Innovate” and (2) “Race To The Top”. Both are schemes manufactured and controlled by private corporations whose aims are to advance standardized-roboticized teaching and learning; promote merit pay and competition among teachers and school districts; destroy or weaken teachers unions; and encourage the establishment of charter schools where the educational process becomes a capitalist enterprise. (3)

The truth is that the Obama regime is furthering the conditions that germinate an education powered by capitalism: an educational system based on monetary rewards and merit pay for teachers; driven by market forces and not education (critical intellectual growth); where students become “a commodity” (or product); and where schools become yet another business for the benefit of the rich-elite, versus institutions that benefit all of society.

Unlike what most “liberals and leftists” (Black, Brown, and White) told us about Obama –that his election would represent progress and change– the truth is that Obama has proven to be nothing but a front for U.S. Capitalists-Colonialists. And in actuality, things have worsen for Mexicans-Raza and other oppressed people (police/Ice raids, militarization of the border, education cut backs, etc. –have increased).

The African People’s Socialist Party was correct when they explained: “Barack Obama wasted no time bowing down to his Wall Street financial backers and war-mongering advisors. His cabinet selections represent the same old politics of imperialists wars of plunder abroad and police containment policies against the African and Mexican communities here. It could not be clearer that Obama…is white power under the cover of an African face” (4)

THE STATEGIC ROLE OF THE CORPORATE MEDIA, COCONUTS, BANANAS, AND ORIOLE COOKIES
Recently two massive propaganda efforts where launched to further the very same goals of Obama’s programs. These media projects were highly melodramatic attempts to promote capitalist-elitist perspectives and place the blame on what producers called “a crisis in education” –almost solely on teacher unions.

One of these programs was the NBC Special titled “Education Nation”, a two-day summit (held in New York City on September 27th and 28th of 2010), which was aired in a series of segments. To the politically conscious, it was a blatant assault on teacher unions and progressive curriculum; while at the same time, a hypocritical claim of concerned for the educational needs of “America’s Children”. (5)

The other was the movie “Waiting For Superman”, a documentary where the majority of the so-called expert commentators and film endorsers where straight-up representatives of corporations or their “colonial” lackeys: the coconuts, bananas, and oriole cookies found within our communities. Some of these neo-colonial “actors” included Antonio Villaraigosa: Mayor, City of Los Angeles, (coconut); Michelle Rhee: Chancellor, District of Columbia Public School System of Washington, D.C. (banana), and Geoffrey Canada: CEO & President of Harlem Children’s Zone Project (oriole cookie) –all of them get paid very well for selling out the interest of the working class, poor, and oppressed nationalities.

Both capitalist propaganda pieces, far from being examples of “reformism” were acts of “deformism” and “puppet shows” for the right-wing fascist corporate agenda. (6)

BURNING QUESTIONS THAT MUST BE ANSWERED
In opposition to those who want to destroy public education and all forms of critical thinking, those of us who are striving for real liberation and true education for all people, must grasp some fundamental aspects relating to the question of education within the belly of the beast (United States). These include: (1) understanding the historical relationship between education and capitalism/big business; (2) how capitalism works to ensure it has control over the education of the masses; (3) how the present crisis facing capitalism has forced it to be more concerned about keeping its control over education; and (4) the impact that capitalist-colonialist education has had upon Raza and other oppressed national communities. Most importantly, we must come to some unity as to what do we, as Educators, social justice activists, and revolutionaries, need to do to challenge and overthrow the fascist grip that capitalism-colonialism has over the education of our children.

History teaches us that ever since the establishment “public education” in the United States (from the mid to late 1800s), the capitalist-colonialists have used it to serve its interests and needs:
• functioning as centers to produce, prepare, and train the leaders and administrators who will manage the empire
• maintaining ignorance and confusion among the masses, and ensure a “political stability” that calls for a “work force” that is educated and disciplined, whose main purpose is to fulfill the needs of industry and big business –nothing else (7)
• promoting consumerism (the fostering of a desire to value, purchase, and use ever increasing goods and services) through the upholding of capitalism and “admiration” of the capitalists; where students are constantly told that the more education they acquire, the more “material goods” they will be able to buy; while the fact that “consumerism” is a necessity of capitalism –as mass production necessitates mass consumption- is hidden (8)
• nourishing xenophobia, white supremacy, and a patriotism that blinds students to the realities of imperialism –justifying and recruiting mass participation in imperialist wars (the occupation and oppression of other nations and their resources)

On the other hand, history also teaches that there have always been groups and communities who have challenged the ruling class (corporate elite, etc.) control of Education. This challenge has come from labor activists/unions, progressives/social justice activists, socialist-communist parties, and oppressed national liberation movements struggling within the belly of the beast. (9)

THE METHODS THAT THE RULING CLASS USES TO CONTROL THE EDUCATION OF THE MASSES
As we continue the fight for liberation today, we need to learn lessons from the struggles of these activists and movements; this includes understanding that many of tactics and methods used by the capitalist-colonialists in the past, are being used against us today. For example:
• Through the control of the funding source of schools (both private and government).
• The establishment of conservative-rightwing groups (religious groups, associations, etc.) to influence policy or take over school districts.
• The “donation” of funds towards the election of right-wing Board of Education members and other “elected” officials.
• The use of the Media to attack progressive curriculum, education programs (such as Chicano Studies), teachers, and organizations.
• Under the guise of philanthropy, the funding and providing of grants to conservative/right wing school programs, partnerships with businesses, and the military, etc.
• The use of “think tanks” to create and promote programs/laws/acts such as NCLBA, etc.
• The use of sellouts and vendidos as covers for the capitalist-colonialist agenda.

It is precisely some of these tactics that the racist-fascist in Arizona (and indeed, throughout Occupied America) are using against La Raza today.

THE CAPITALISTS ARE WOUNDED-DYING BEASTS
This brings us to the question, “Why are the Corporations moving so aggressively and ruthlessly to destroy public education today?”

Part of this answer is found in the fact that the world’s oppressed people are rising up against global-capitalism, colonial oppression, and all forms exploitation; we see this in Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, and so forth. It is requiring the forces of capitalism and colonialism to find new sources and means of securing profits. This resistance from the world’s oppressed nations and peoples has put imperialism in an extremely weak position –a situation in which it finds itself reacting as the wounded and dying beast that it is.

As Omali Yeshitela, Chairman of the African People’s Socialist Party, explains: “These struggles [from oppressed and colonized peoples] have achieved critical mass and try as they may there is nothing the imperialists can do to stem this tide of resistance that represents the true measure of progress in human affairs.” (10)

Out of desperation and for its survival –the parasitic inhuman system of capitalism-colonialism finds that it must:
• Gain complete control of the minds/thinking of the masses and prevent even the “smallest” of opposition to capitalist/imperialist exploitation, at home and abroad; and it is counting on schools to carry out this task.
• Squeeze profits from whatever source available; it is here where the basis for the privatization of prisons and schools –and where students themselves have become “products”– is located.
• Ensure that “workers” become even more obedient that they already are; this calls for the destruction of all forms of worker resistance; hence, teacher unions, being one of the few organized sectors in society that can challenge the plans of the empire, have become a major target of the capitalists-imperialists.

U.S. COLONIALIST EDUCATION HAS NEVER HAD AS ITS GOAL TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE MEXICAN AND OTHER OPPRESSED COMMUNITIES
What does all this mean to Raza Educators? First and foremost, we must we must be cognizant of impact that colonial-capitalist media/education has had and continues to have on our communities. The historical experience of our people informs us that far from being agents of progress for our communities, schools have been used to keep the majority of us colonized and oppressed. Consider for instance:
• Capitalism cannot survive without keeping “knowledge” from those that it exploits or oppresses. Education has rarely been used to enlighten, but instead to impose ignorance upon our communities. (11)
• By denying Raza and other colonized people a relevant education (Chicano Studies, Multicultural Studies, etc.), it has planted “self-hatred”, low self-esteem, and a colonized mentality in our peoples. It is here where “horizontal violence” between so-called “gangs”, Mexicans and Africans, and so forth, has its roots.
• Through discriminatory implementation of zero-tolerance policies, criminalization, and the disconnect that youth have felt towards education, for many of them, schools have been “pipelines” leading to prison.
• It is also within schools where we have witnessed the “selection process” that determines who will become the future “neo-colonial” administrators and lackeys –the black and brown faces who the capitalist colonial system will put in the “right places” to further confused and fool us.

PRAXIS CALLS UPON US TO WORK ON SOLUTIONS TO OUR OPPRESSION –VENCEREMOS!
The truth is that those most critical of public education have been Africans and Mexicans-Raza. It was the reform, civil rights, and liberation movements that took place throughout the 1900s that demanded the firing of racist and incompetent teachers, and called for a quality and relevant education for our youth (access to the University, Chicano/Black Studies, College Prep Courses, etc.).

Yet as critical as we have been of schools, it is also important to recognize that our movement has won some victories, concessions, and spaces within the field of education and we are not about to give them up without a fight. What’s more, teaching is one of the few professions where you find a significant number of Raza. It is precisely because of this reality that today some of us struggle to make Chicano Studies a science in the service of our people and have established organizations such as the Association of Raza Educators (A.R.E.).

And, as we have said before, criticism and analysis is not enough. Praxis calls for working on solutions to our oppression. Therefore, as a way of dealing with the current attacks on education, those involved in the struggle for social justice and self-determination –if we are to win– must do the following:

1. We must struggle to create organization. Only united and well organized, can we “take on” capitalism and its neo-colonial lackeys (Antonio Villaraigosa. Michelle Rhee, Geoffrey Canada, and company).
2. We must inform ourselves on the issues and questions regarding the education and liberation of our community. No struggle is won without proper preparation.
3. We must be active in the community. Our roots and daily lives must be grounded in the community. It is in the community where the masses are concentrated and it is from the masses from which we draw our power
4. We must teach socialism, a “system were political and economic democracy exist”, as the solution to society’s problems. The fact is that capitalism and democracy cannot co-exist. We cannot allow the billionaire elites (capitalists) to falsify and slander the meaning of words such as “socialism”.
5. We must practice pedagogy of liberation, which demands that we inform our students and the community that humanity means confronting and destroying all forms of oppression.
6. We must work in coalitions and united fronts with other national liberation movements and those European (White) forces that are willing to commit patriotic/nationalist suicide and rid themselves of white supremacist tendencies.
7. And as fighters for social justice and liberation, to really be effective, we must be ready to sacrifice.

No change can occur without struggle and organization. For this reason, Raza interested in the question of education must join A.R.E., as it is the most progressive Raza educators organization [that we know of] that exist today.

Los maestros luchando, también están enseñando!
All power to the people!
Venceremos.

NOTES:
(1) Jonathan Kozol, “The Big Enchilada”, Harper’s Magazine, August 2007.
(2) Ernesto Bustillos, “Capitalism Is The Problem, Revolution Is The Solution”, Guerrillera/os de La Pluma, Journal of the Raza Press and Media Association, Spring 2010.
(3) Diane Ravtich, “Obama’s Right-Wing School Reform”, New York Review of Books. 2010
(4) Penny Hess, “White power in black face: cabinet selections reveal the real Obama”, Uhuru News, Nov. 21, 2008.
(5) Marc Bousquet, “NBC’s Education Nation: Policy Summit or Puppet Show?” The Chronicle of Higher Education (chronicle.com) September 28, 2010.
(6) Dan Conway, “Waiting For Superman: American Liberalism Spearheads The Right-Wing Attack On Public Education”, World Socialist Web Site (wsws.org) Oct. 7, 2010.
(7) Samuel Bowles, “Unequal education and the reproduction of the social division of labor”, Power and Ideology In Education, 1971.
(8) Richard H. Robbins, Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism, 2004.
(9) Catherine Casey, “Building For A Long Future: Workers’ Education In The Progressive Era”, Breaking New Ground: The Development of Adult and Workers’ Education in North America, March 1989.
(10) Omali Yeshitela, One People! One Party! One Destiny! The Political Report to the 5th Congress of the African People’s Socialist Party, 2010.
(11) Ernesto Bustillos, Education, Chicano Studies, and Raza Education, La Verdad Publications, 1992.

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