AZ Senate Racist Letter Accused of Being a Fraud
The controversy over the racially tinged letter from a Tucson substitute teacher, read aloud on the floor of the Arizona state Senate, continues to grow. News Taco reported that the controversy grew after Senator Lori Klein read a letter, allegedly written by substitute teacher Tony Hill, during an immigration debate. Klein apparently read the letter at the behest of Senate President Russell Pearce. In the letter, read word-for-word, Hill wrote, among other things, that most Latino students “do not want to be educated but rather be gang members and gangsters.” And that was only one of the many derogatory remarks the letter writer made toward Latinos.
The Arizona Hispanic Caucus’ response was swift. Members of the caucus were outraged that Pearce let Klein read the offensive letter to begin with. Then, as kgun9.com reports
In a press conference held outside the Capitol Tuesday morning, they called on Pearce to answer the following questions: Who is Tony Hill? And, did he really write the letter?
“I come to find out this morning that this individual is not even registered to vote,” said Sen. Steve Gallardo, (D) Phoenix.
Hill has yet to return reporters’ calls.
In his letter Hill, who claims to be an 8th grade substitute teacher, stated that “when it came to completing (a) Mark Twain assignment, most of the students refused to ‘open the textbook, tore the pages out of the book, or threw the textbooks at each other.'” But all five area school districts say that Hill has not worked for them in the past two years. What’s more:
The Glendale School District also stated it does not teach its 8th grade students about Mark Twain as Hill alluded to in his letter. A spokesperson said Mark Twain is not part of the districts curriculum for middle school students.
Members of the Hispanic caucus say that the Hill letter is a fraud.
That’s why Hispanic lawmakers want Pearce to prove the facts stated in Hill’s letter are really true.
“Not only does Senator Klein owe us all an apology and every student in the state of Arizona an apology, I think Russell Pearce has some questions to answer,” said (Sen. Steve) Gallardo.
But Pearce remains adamant:
“I am shocked that Members of the Minority are so quick to defend the actions of these troublemakers, and mock the frustration many teachers feel in bringing order to the classroom… I’ve spoken with the teacher who wrote this letter. He stands by all he wrote. This is happening in our classrooms… We will not apologize.”
No where in his statement did Pearce attempt to prove the authenticity of the Hill letter.
