"Precious Knowledge" Screening
7 to 9 p.m.
MSU Main Library
366 W. Circle Dr., East Lansing
Challenge censorship with this special screening for national banned book week. “Precious Knowledge” is a documentary detailing the struggle to keep ethnic studies programs in Texas schools.
There will be a discussion lead afterward by director of MSU’s Chicano Latino studies program Eric Juenke, Maribel Santiago, assistant professor of the department of teacher education, and doctoral student Jasmin Vargas.
“Every year around the country, books are challenged in schools and in libraries. In the ’80s banned book week was organized to celebrate your freedom to read,” MSU Libraries Outreach librarian Holly Flynn said.
“Last year, we held an event where people read banned books aloud. This year we decided to do something different after we heard about this movie.”
According to the film description, ethnic studies programs improved graduation rates of Latino people. But the programs came under attack by the local school board for being anti-American and promoting racial solidarity.
It touches on hot button issues like immigration, student activism and censorship.
Banned books and banned ethnic studies programs are a loss to collective intelligence, Flynn said. “They give you a different viewpoint to other people lives and a different viewpoint for other things going on in the world.”
Though the film takes place in Arizona, it shares some similarities in Michigan education politics.
“Over the spring, Michigan decided to revise the social studies curriculum for K12. There was a legislator who wanted to get rid of the word ‘Democratic,’ and take out all the references to LGBT and the Ku Klux Klan.”
Other events in Lansing:
Oktoberfest German Dinner at Hop Cat
6:30 to 9:30 p.m., $31.80, HopCat East Lansing, 300 Grove St., East Lansing
4 to 10 p.m., Ozone’s Brewhouse, 305 Beaver St., Lansing
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