The governing board of the Tucson Unified School District has an educational, and moral, obligation to officially acknowledge the importance of Judge Wallace Tashima's ruling that ARS 15-122 was unconstitutional because it was the product of racial animus directed at the students, teachers and administrators involved in the district's Mexican American Studies program, and it was a violation of their right to freedom of speech.

Instead, the board voted down a resolution which declared that teachers have been freed from the racist restrictions which forbade them from using elements of the dismantled MAS program. The three members who formed the majority made a wrongheaded, possibly even shameful, decision.

Let me give the board majority the benefit of the doubt and assume they misunderstood the meaning of Judge Tashima's ruling. He didn't rule on the value of the MAS program itself. His ruling said the state legislature and the Department of Education used unconstitutional means to suppress the educational rights of a minority group. It was part of a long, proud tradition of our country moving toward granting civil rights to individuals and groups regardless of their ethnicity, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. In this case, the issue was racism. Thanks to the ruling, the racists lost. That's what the victory is all about.

And that's what the governing board needs to acknowledge, publicly and formally. It should state that the judge's ruling is an affirmation that the education of Tucson Unified students should not be dictated by racists, that the district will decide what it believes is the best way to give its students the best possible education, and it will always strive to respect their civil rights and their right to freedom of speech.

Hi there! My name is Owen!

I am a 1 year old boy who just can’t wait to meet my fur-ever family! I am a loving, goofy boy who is sure to put a smile on your face! I regularly give hugs to HSSA staff! I absolutely love to play with toys and cuddle with my favorite person. I will do best with an active family.

I am a hidden gem often hiding out in foster care or an administrative office because I don’t like my kennel very much. I would love to meet your family, dogs included! If you’re interested in meeting me come to HSSA Main Campus at 3450 N. Kelvin Blvd., or give an adoptions counselor a call at 520-327-6088, ext. 173.

Many Wags,
Owen (849692)

Originally planned for an April theatrical release date, the third Cloverfield movie got itself a surprise release on Netflix immediately following the Super Bowl last night. While I’m a big fan of the first two installments in the Cloverfield series, J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot production company have got to be kidding trying to call this a legitimate chapter in the Cloverfield universe. The Cloverfield Paradox was originally a project called God Particle, a standalone science fiction film directed by Julius Onah. Somewhere during production, Bad Robot decided to make it a Cloverfield film. How is it a Cloverfield film? A few short, badly constructed scenes shoehorned into the narrative, including a ten second final shot that feels like a total cheat. They did this sort of last minute tinkering when they made 10 Cloverfield Lane, and that resulted in a good movie. This one results in a muddled mess. The plot involves a space station trying to create a free power source to revitalize a struggling Earth. The crew (which includes Daniel Bruhl, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ziyi Zhang and David Oyelowo) accidentally zap themselves into another dimension. While they struggle in the other dimension to find their way home, the dimension they left behind is dealing with a new problem. The events happening back on Earth might’ve made for a better movie, but the one we get in space is an Event Horizon rip-off. It’s no mystery why Bad Robot avoided a theatrical run for this. It stinks.

The 91-year-old enclave known as Hec Edmundson Pavilion has been a house of horrors for the Arizona Wildcats over the years.

The gym, which sits on the scenic shores of Lake Washington—catty-corner to the University of Washington’s freshly-renovated football stadium—has haunted some of Arizona’s best teams.

Take, for instance, the now-vaunted 1997 Arizona squad, famous for winning the program’s lone National Championship.

They entered the old Hec on Feb. 2, 1997, and left with an L around their blue-and-white clad collars, after the Huskies beat Saint Lute and Company, 92-88.

The Wildcats’ luck didn’t improve much after that in the Emerald City, going 7-2 between 1998 and 2007, followed by losing five-straight to the Huskies inside the Hec from 2008 to 2012.

In total, Arizona’s record in Seattle since that magical ’97 campaign is a pedestrian 10-7, thanks to their three-game winning streak, between 2013 and now.

Much of that recent success came during the down and out finishing chapter of Lorenzo Romar’s coaching tenure, with the Huskies posting 18-16, 16-15, 19-15 and 9-22 records in 2013, ’15, ’16 and ’17, respectively.

Lorenzo’s return to the Hec

Fast-forward some 359 days from last February’s edition of this hard-fought conference rivalry, which the Wildcats won, 76-68 in Seattle, and not much remains the same.

From our XOXO.. column...

Friday, Feb. 2: Not everyone can claim to have worked with "The Godmother of Punk Rock" Patti Smith. Guitarist Oliver Ray can. C'mon, is that not enough street cred to get your tired carcass off the couch? Ray—accompanied by Clay Koweek, Thøger Teetens Lund and Anna Jo Phipps—will be previewing songs and poems from his upcoming self-titled solo album. At Exo Bar... People standing up to help others is love supreme. Recently Clay Desmond, guitarist for Black Medicine, lost his nephew Giovanni from rejection of his donor heart at 21 months. Black Medicine, Street Blues Family and The Rifle are putting on an event to raise money for pediatric heart transplant research at Phoenix Children's Hospital. Hearts & Guitars Benefit takes place at The Flycatcher... Ukraine by way of Canada, DJ/producer REZZ (née Isabelle Rezazadeh) took to DJing young. Before long drawing the attention of Skrillex and Deadmau5 with her dark minimalist electronic sound. Her 2017 debut, Mass Manipulation (mau5trap), peaked at No. 15 on Billboard's dance/electronic chart; REZZ was barely old enough to drink legally in most U.S. states. At The Rialto Theater... Over the years, The Octopus Project have gained a reputation as an extremely loud, extremely fun live band. Their performances have evolved into elaborate multimedia experiences. In the process becoming festival favorites at Coachella, Lollapalooza and the once fabulous now erstwhile All Tomorrow's Parties. Memory Mirror (Robot High School), the band's sixth studio album, marks The Octopus Project's evolution from purveyors in raw, thrift-store electronica to cutting edge provocateurs. With New Fumes at 191 Toole... Laura and the Killed Men tie their dusty, twangy country to a creosote hitching post anchored in the desert of the American Southwest. While singer/guitarist Laura Kepner-Adney's voice fires off bullets that reverberate off canyon walls. Celebrating guitarist Sam Golden's return to town, Laura and the Killed Men are gonna party down at Che's Lounge... Propelled by brass, percussion and electric guitar, Santa Pachita's fusion of salsa, cumbia and ska will have your hips shakin' on the rooftop at Playground Bar & Lounge... Über talented songstress Katie Haverly is celebrating the release of her fifth studio album, Pluto, with a soirée at Club Congress. With Jillian and the Giants and Phoenix's House of Stairs...

Saturday, Feb. 3: Originating in the UK, Stomp is a percussion group that uses found objects—push brooms, hubcaps, hammer handles, garbage cans, Zippo lighters and yes, even the kitchen sink—to create magnificent rhythms and an explosive theatrical performance incorporating pantomime and acrobatics. At Centennial Hall... She is native to Brooklyn. Yet, amidst the Joshua trees and austerity of the California desert Christina LaRocca discovers, in her latest music video, that she is a "Child of the Sun." LaRocca brings her soulful blend of Americana and rock to Nancy's Boondocks... They have traveled the great expanses playing jump, swing and West Coast blues since 2002. Now, catch The Kings of Pleasure jump, jive and wail at Playground Bar & Lounge... "When you throw one Southerner and two Northeasterners into a blender and then pour them out in Los Angeles you get Ned and the Dirt." With Dirt Friends and Half-Broke Town at Club Congress... Known for his Chicago house, acid jazz and downtempo work. He's received props from URB, Muzik and BPM magazines recognized as one of the world's best DJs. Mark Farina's 2016 album, Mushroom Jazz Eight, hit No. 1 on Billboard's Top dance/electronic chart. Watch Farina cut at 191 Toole...

Sunday, Feb. 4: Her story is compelling. A life that includes being trampled by a horse and a car accident that paralyzed her right vocal cord. As a child, Mary James (aka Mean Mary) practiced guitar, banjo and fiddle five hours a day. A wunderkind, she started performing on a daily Alabama TV show while in the second grade. Now, she hosts Nashville reality TV show The Never-Ending Street. Not busy enough? James is out touring in support of her latest book Hell Is Naked (co-authored with Jean James). Which has spun into an album: Blazing: Hell Is Naked Soundtrack (Woodrock Records, 2017). Americana/bluegrass/folk artist Mean Mary stops to catch her breath at Monterey Court... Playground Bar & Lounge have put together a winning combination: Trumpets & Tequila. With Mariachi Luz De Luna up on the rooftop... DJ Brad Moontribe believes in the transformative power of music and collective dance. He sees the role of DJ not simply as selector and technician but that of artist and shaman. With Elliot Tierney and NoodleBox at Galactic Center...

Want to have fun this weekend? The Weekly has 25 recommendations for you. Surely there's something for you on this list!

American Flying Buffalo Pho Special. American Flying Buffalo will be at Button Brew House with a pho-nomenal surprise: A brand new pho menu! Get all the spicy, soupy goodness you can. And if you’re feeling pho-rugal, bring your own bowl and get $1 off. Apologies for all these aw-pho-l puns. 4-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2. 6800 N Camino Martin, suite 160.

The Loft Cinema First Friday Shorts. If you attended last month’s contest, you know what to expect, and if you didn’t, you better show up to this. This is an opportunity to see Tucson’s best and weirdest local shorts: horror, animation, comedy, documentary, a phallically murderous grizzly bear. See the true face of your city. 9-11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2. $6. 3233 East Speedway Blvd.

The Flame Off. It’s called the Flame Off, but it’s game on for the 18 glass artists who will race against the clock to create the best masterpiece out of molten glass this year. The artists come from all over the country, except for one international competitor, and have 90 minutes to create their entry pieces (which will be auctioned off the day after the competition) in front of an audience. For the 17th year of the annual festival, onlookers can enjoy the spectacle, along with Thunder Canyon Brewery beer, wine, live auctions, raffle prizes and food trucks. 7 to 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2. 633 W. 18th St. $20 will call, $50 VIP, with proceeds benefiting the nonprofit Sonoran Glass School.

World Premiere Meteorite & Laser Gem Show. It doesn’t seem like a talk by Geoff Notkin (one of the most popular live speakers in the world), an actual T-Rex skeleton and a light show done by Pink Floyd’s former laser designer should even be allowed to be in one place. Isn’t there some sort of safety regulation for having so much cool stuff in one place? Minds will be blown, heads could explode, you may be swept off your feet. Notkin’s talk will be called “Space Rocks, Nuts and Bolts: The Secret Science of Meteorites” and accompanying dino/laser extravaganza will take place in a 3,200 square foot exhibit space. BRING POPCORN. And bring the kids. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2. 22nd Street Show, 600 W. 22nd St. Free!

Part 1 of this two part (or maybe three part) series tracked the purposeful stealth of the Koch Brothers since the 1970s when they began their push to change the country's politics and economic policy, until their cover was blown a few years ago, and the brothers decided, if you can't fight it, flaunt it. They adopted a more public persona, even going so far as to let reporters into the inner sanctum of their donor summit a few days ago, where Governor Ducey spoke about how much he loves his expansion of the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, and how that expansion is threatened by Proposition 305 which is scheduled to go before the voters in November. He loves his vouchers almost as much as he loves tax cuts, and almost as much as our "education governor" loves fighting against significant increases to K-12 funding. The fact that the Kochs and their donor networkers love those things as much as Ducey loves them makes the governor' reelection campaign coffers very, very happy.

I was browsing through education news last week and came across an op ed in the Houston Chronicle praising Education Savings Accounts, which is the generic name for what our legislators have redubbed Empowerment Scholarship Accounts. As I looked to see who wrote it, I experienced a simultaneous sensation of familiarity and surprise. The author is Matthew Ladner, who I know well from long arguments we carried on in the comments section of my posts when I wrote on Blog for Arizona and Ladner was a vice president of research at the Goldwater Institute. The surprise came when I read the bottom of the op ed and found out he's now "the senior research fellow at the Charles Koch Institute." I knew Ladner had left GI, but last I heard, he was working on policy and research at Jeb Bush's Foundation for Excellence in Education. Since I don't see him mentioned on the current FEE website, I guess Ladner isn't wearing hats in both places. It looks like he's left Jeb for Charles Koch.

The employment and adventures of Matthew Ladner create a series of connected dots where the last dot connects back to the first. Taken together, they offer a revealing snapshot of the very formidable, very influential, very affluent "education reform"/privatization movement.

The Sanctuary Movement has grown from 400 to 1,100 congregations nationwide since Donald Trump’s election.

Sanctuary congregations aid immigrants and the immigrant community in a variety of ways, including hosting legal clinics, advocating against and taking actions to stop deportations and housing immigrants in danger of deportation.

“ICE is attacking us as leaders and activists at the local and national level,” said Ingrid Encalada Latorre, an immigrant and activist currently in Sanctuary in Colorado. “They don’t want us to lead, but they won’t silence us because we too have rights as immigrants in this country.”

In the months after Donald Trump’s election, the number of congregations offering sanctuary to immigrants under threat of deportation doubled from 400 to 800 nationwide. The movement continues to grow, across 25 states. And the number of Sanctuary coalitions have grown from 12 to 40 since 2016, according to a new report, “Sanctuary in the Age of Trump,” released by a coalition of faith leaders, including Rev. Alison Harrington, a pastor in Tucson’s Southside Presbyterian Church.


North Carolina currently has more people in sanctuary than any other state, with five. And their movement continues to grow, with six more congregations working on becoming sanctuary churches and more calling each day, said Rev. Julie Peeples, senior pastor at Congregational United Church of Christ, in Greensboro, North Carolina.

“It is really growing rapidly here,” Peeples said. “My congregation and I continue to be inspired by the courage and strength of those in sanctuary and their leadership. They are teaching us how to love our neighbor and how to honor our nation’s pledge of ‘liberty and justice for all.’”

The report also says that it’s no longer just cities with large immigrant population that have congregations in the Sanctuary Movement, but more rural areas with a recent influx of immigrants, in states like North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma and Virginia.

Congregations gave sanctuary to 37 people facing deportation, in 2017. Nine received some sort of temporary reprieve from deportation. Today, there are 36 people in public sanctuary, nationwide, according to the report.


The Sanctuary Movement has grown in direct response to the ramping up of deporting immigrants whose only crime is being in the country illegally, many of whom were registered with Homeland Security and allowed a stay of deportation under the Obama administration, given they participated in routine check-ins with ICE.

In 2011, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton released a series of immigration directives that came to be known as the Morton memos. These memos limited the immigration enforcement to a subset of convicted criminals, as well as blocking immigration enforcement to crime victims, witnesses and “individuals pursuing legitimate civil rights complaints,” a measure that allowed immigrants to report crime without fear of deportation.

Today, ICE searches these people out, although they are well known to the government and have complied with their regular check-ins. The new report details the arrests of several immigrants with deportation stays who are immigrant rights activists, including immigrate-rights activist Ravi Ragbir, who was detained during a routine check-in meeting with ICE officials in Manhattan, on Jan. 11.

Ragbir was one of a number of immigrants vocal in the movement arrested by ICE in January. His arrest sparked protest that ended with 18 arrests, including two members of the New York City Council.

On Monday, Jan. 29, U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest ordered his release, saying his detention was “unnecessarily cruel.” He is still facing deportation.

“I am appalled to see the growing attacks on immigrant leaders,” said Ragbir’s wife Amy Gottlieb. “Ravi was detained at a regularly scheduled check-in with ICE, even though nothing had changed in his legal case. It is clear that he is targeted because of his outspoken challenges to our unjust immigration system. It is devastating to see my husband and so many others locked up in county jails, their liberty taken away from them, while private companies and others profit from our suffering.”

The faith leaders who contributed to the report said they plan on expanding the movement in the Southwest and Midwest and hosting trainings and strategy meetings.

“Sanctuary is needed more than ever,” the report says. “People of faith from many traditions recognize the increased need for Sanctuary as the harsh anti-immigrant, anti-refugee, anti-black and anti-Muslim policies come to life under the Trump Administration.”

“Sanctuary in the Age of Trump” also details stories of several immigrants who and sought sanctuary, more examples of ICE ramping up intimidation tactics, and 10 policy recommendations.

As big fans of Lisa Landry, we were a little surprised not to find her on WSJ24/7’s list of the 50 Most Popular Female Comedians. Alas, the field was such that even Tracy Ulman was only ranked 42. The list ended well short of comedians we actually can see live and affordably here in the Old Pueblo.

Landry probably neither heard of that list nor gives a shit about it. (She might use more graphic language but wasn’t available for comment.) Still, it, and others similar, reflect a fairly recent surge in the number of women making a name in comedy.

Over the next three weeks, Laughing Stock will cover funny women exclusively, not to serve any agenda (not that we're above serving an agenda) but because women are legitimately the biggest comedy stories in town this month.

Landry will headline the weekend shows at venerable Laff’s Comedy Caffé, Friday and Saturday, February 9 and 10. She’ll return for a Valentine’s Day special, with roses for the ladies, on Wednesday, Feb. 14. Visit laffstucson.com for details, video and reservations. You should probably hurry.

Hurry faster for reservations for Landry’s headlining turn on Sunday, Feb. 11, in the Valentine’s Day edition of The Estrogen Hour, which almost always sells out. That (approximately) triennial event has launched almost every woman comic in Tucson. It’s hosted by arguably Tucson’s top woman comedian, Nancy Stanley. With Mary Steed, she invented the show a few years back to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Laff’s regularly hosts this show, but does not sell tickets. All reservations are handled via an LLS system at tinyurl.com/msmarylaffs. That site also includes all show details and a history of The Estrogen Hour.

Featured with Landry in the Feb. 11 lineup are Ben’s Bells founder Jeannette Maré, Surly Wench Comedy Open Mic host Roxy Merrari, photographer Nicci Radhe, FST!’s Mel Blumenthal and Tucson’s funniest cancer patient, Jennifer Finley.

Landry’s jokes are NSFW, but whip smart and real as pot smoke, motherhood and this morning’s continental breakfast at Rodeway Inn. As a single mom, she honed her craft in the overheated competition of New York City comedy clubs. Comedy Central gave her a solo special, and she won third place nationally on the network’s “Standup Showdown.” Craig Ferguson’s audience gave her a standing ovation. In Las Vegas, she has headlined nightly shows at The Stratosphere and Planet Hollywood, and on TV, she’s acted in a dozen series.

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo

Art

Philabaum’s Furnace. Master glass artist Tom Philabaum is quenching the flames. For 47 years, Tucson's Mr. Glass has been working with molten glass, thrusting it into the dangerous "glory hole," the white-hot glass furnace at his studio. No more. Now dealing with Parkinson's, Philabaum is giving up the heat required for glassblowing, but he has no intention of giving up glass: he'll continue making painted and fused glass works. The artist's formidable command of glass styles will be showcased in The Flame: Tom Philabaum, a five-decade retrospective opening with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 3, and continuing through April at Philabaum Glass Gallery, 711 S. Sixth Ave., 884-7404; philabaumglass.com. The artist gives a talk at the gallery at 5 p.m. Saturday. It's free but seating is limited. If you miss it, you can catch his lecture at Tucson Museum of Art on March 31.

Art Safari. The Central Tucson Gallery Association is hosting this opportunity to visit seven different galleries in one night. At the Davis Dominguez Gallery, see abstract paintings by Josh Goldberg and color field woven linen by Claire Campbell Park. See a Trans-Atlantic Fusion exhibit at PCC’s Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery. And see a New Year’s resolution-themed exhibit at the Raices Taller 222 Gallery. Most will have special reception hours during the Art Safari, but exact times and, of course, locations vary. The Art Safari begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3.

Mid-Century Perspectives: Paintings by Andy Burgess & Objects of Modern Design. The stars have aligned this week at the Tucson Museum of Art: Their free first Thursday is falling on the same day of their newest exhibition’s opening night. Featured artist Andy Burgess is known for his colorful and precise work in photography, sketching and painting, which explore the relationship between architecture and the natural world—often in the American Southwest. The exhibit also includes designed objects and furniture with signature mid-century curves and geometric shapes, and by the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright, Harry Bertoia and Rose Cabat. 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1. Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, 140 N. Main Ave. Free.