NEED HELP PAYING YOUR RENT OR BILLS? CLICK HERE FOR RESOURCES

Voces de Casa Maria

What’s the “CHANGE” being offered?

< 1 min read By Cesar Aguirre There’s been so much negative talk about TUSD leading to the election that it’s been hard for our barrio to make sense of what we hear in the news and what we’ve experienced. I know Michael Hicks goes on right-wing radio and calls Superintendent Sanchez “King Sanchez” – suggesting that he rules the district with an iron fist and that he lies to board members Stegeman and Hicks. I know too that Stegeman and Hicks have never spoken for me or my barrio. I also know that it can be really convenient in a city like Tucson

Read More »

TUSD Candidate Forum – School Closures

4 min read We asked candidates: Do you believe closing and consolidating schools is a practical approach to addressing a budget shortfall and will you protect the over $1 million in Magnet funding that South and West Side schools receive? ¿Creés que la clausura y combinación de escuelas es una estrategia práctica para abordar una escasez presupuestal y protegerás los más de $1 millón de dólares de fondos para las escuelas especializadas que reciben las escuelas en el sur y el oeste? *Some of the candidates’ responses seemed to contradict previous statements or actions or conflict with our experiences and information. We include

Read More »

TUSD Board Candidate Forum, V1

< 1 min read On Thursday, October 13, the seven candidates running for the three TUSD seats on the November ballot attended a Casa Maria forum held at the Capilla de Guadalupe. We asked them to introduce themselves and to share what they have done for the southside. Here’s what they had to say.            

Read More »

Thank you to all / Gracias a todos!

2 min read Thank you to the over 140 people who joined the Casa Maria Voter Project at the final TUSD School Board Candidate Forum on Thursday, October 13 at the Capilla de Guadalupe. Gracias a las más de 140 personas que acompañaron a Casa María en el Foro de los Candidatos para la Mesa Directiva de las Escuelas de TUSD el Jueves, 13 de Octubre en la Capilla Guadalupe. In addition to hearing from the seven candidates, community members took time to discuss critical issues related to funding priorities, disciplinary practices, and experiences from previous school closures and consolidations. These conversation led

Read More »

FORO DE CANDIDATOS DE TUSD / TUSD CANDIDATE FORUM

< 1 min read Acompañenos para la cena y una conversación sobre la educacion publica en nuestro barrio. Conoce los candidatos que quieren ser elegidos para la mesa directiva de TUSD y preguntales si van a luchar por las escuelas en el barrio. Aprende por que estas eleccion son tan importantes y acerca de que podemos hacer para defender las escuelas en nuestro barrio. Join us for dinner and a conversation about public education in our barrio schools. Meet the candidates running for TUSD school board and ask them if they will fight for our barrio schools. Find out why these elections are so

Read More »

GREAT TEACHERS LOVE TO TEACH // LOS MEJORES MAESTROS AMAN LA ENSEÑANSA

6 min read After reading an article in the Star I decided to reach out to some real teachers to get their perspective on the current situation with teachers’ wages in Tucson. Julie Elvick is a 4th/5th grade teacher at Ochoa Community Magnet School and has over 20 years experience as an educator. My daughter Alissa had the privilege of having her as her 5th grade teacher last year. It was a great experience for my daughter and me. She is one of the best, most supportive and caring teachers we’ve had the opportunity to work with. She also participates in the community,

Read More »

IN RESPONSE TO SYLVIA CAMPOY, TEACHER VACANCIES // EN RESPUESTA A SYLVIA CAMPOY, VACANTES DE PROFESORES

4 min read by Cesar Aguirre In the Star’s article (10/8/15) 5 Tucson magnet schools could get more time, resources, Sylvia Campoy points to teacher vacancies as one of the issues at the magnet schools not being corrected by Sanchez and his board. On page 2 of the Star (10/8/15) More than 80 Tucson teacher jobs still vacant the article explains how teacher vacancies are an issue not only in TUSD but for districts across the Tucson area, the state and the nation. For years teachers have been underpaid, under appreciated, undervalued and treated with great disrespect as professionals in their field. It’s no

Read More »

ONE PARENT’S STORY… ORGANIZING FOR JUSTICE IN TUSD! // LA HISTORIA DE UN PADRE… ¡ORGANIZANDO PARA JUSTICIA EN TUSD!

11 min read by Cesar Aguirre As a parent of two current TUSD students and an active community member I’ve found that what makes the desegregation case so confusing is the complexity and history of the case. The mainstream media is very good at putting its own spin on things, kind of like they did with the bus strike, which makes it even more difficult to understand what is happening. The misinformation from this biased reporting is very damaging and causes even more division among those of us truly working to improve the quality of education for our brown and black students who

Read More »

THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH AND WHAT THE RESEARCH SUPPORTS

3 min read Special thanks to the Tucson Children’s Project, Mimi Gray, Pauline Baker, Ben Mardel, Teresa Acevedo, and especially Lella Gandini of Reggio Emilia, Italy for making this all possible. by Cesar Aguirre As an avid supporter of public education and an extremely involved parent at Ochoa Elementary, I have done a lot of research and studied best practices of early childhood education. Over the weekend the Tucson Children’s Project held a conference titled “What the Research Supports”. I was in attendance, along with many dedicated teachers from Ochoa. Ochoa is a Reggio Inspired Magnet school. It’s the only public school of

Read More »

A LETTER TO SYLVIA CAMPOY

2 min read  February 10, 2015 Dear Sylvia, Thanks for coming to Casa Maria. I think we fundamentally disagree with you on some main themes, but talking with you and Terry Higuera really helped us think about desegregation and how we as parents and the larger community can move forward to advocate and organize for a more just TUSD. Ultimately it’s all about better educated kids. We understand that no matter what is just or unjust, right or wrong, there is a court order that exists. But it is only a court order, not a commandment that came down from heaven. We would

Read More »

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Fighting for Justice, Liberty, & Peace in Barrio Libre