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Some state lawmakers are again sticking their noses where they don't belong and trying to tell educators what should or shouldn't be taught in public schools.

The Legislature is attempting to usurp the decision-making responsibilities of local school boards and is perpetuating lies and creating divisions among Arizonans by pushing a bill that seeks to end programs like Raza Studies in the Tucson Unified School District. The bill would deny state funding to schools whose courses "denigrate American values and the teachings of Western civilization."

Whatever that means.

Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services reported in Thursday's Star that the bill, SB 1108, is aimed at MEChA, the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán, a student group that state Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, describes as racist.

Raza Studies has also drawn the ire of anti-immigrant-rights activists and last year was criticized by state schools superintendent Tom Horne, who said the program was promoting "ethnic chauvinism."

Horne investigated the program and then quietly dropped his inquiry.

Pearce, one of the state's most strident opponents of illegal immigration, appears to have bought into the notion that MEChA followers want to take over the southwestern United States, which was part of Mexico.

That's hogwash.

The myth is perpetrated by right-wing anti-immigrant-rights groups like American Border Patrol and their Web sites. The lie gained new life over the last couple of years as the illegal-immigration debate reached a boiling point.

We editorialized in May 2006, around the time of several student marches calling for immigrant rights, that criticisms of MEChA were nothing more than fear-mongering tactics meant to foment anti-immigrant sentiment.

In reality, the group brings Hispanic students together so they can achieve academic success. MEChA is no different than black, Asian and American Indian groups that give students of the same race a place to meet, make friends and support one another.

MEChA is not a secessionist movement. Its goal is to help Hispanic students succeed in the United States.

The members of the University of Arizona's MEChA chapter visit high schools to encourage students to attend college. They hold events and fundraisers to spread the message that education is the key to success.

What lawmakers like Pearce ignore is that programs like Raza Studies and MEChA help many Hispanic students excel.

By learning more about their race's culture, the students become engaged in the education process and go on to become better taxpaying members of society.

TUSD's Raza Studies has also been unfairly criticized.

The Star reported in December that research regarding Raza Studies students found they outscored their peers in reading, writing and math as measured by the state's academic accountability exam.

"Since when has education lost its standing as a core value in this country?" Augustine Romero, director of TUSD's ethnic-studies department, asked the Star in December. "At our core, the ethnic-studies department is academic excellence and equitable education."

SB 1108 was approved 9-6 by the House Appropriations Committee and goes to the full House.

The measure should be rejected because it goes against the concept of academic freedom — letting local school boards decide what is best for their students.

The bill is vague and subjective.

The measure would give the state superintendent the power to decide when schools "overtly encourage dissent" from values such as democracy, capitalism, pluralism and religious toleration. It's too much power to give one person.

We wonder whether learning about communist China in history class or discussions about the Middle East and current events would fit into the "teachings of Western civilization." Mexico is in the Western Hemisphere and thus, part of Western civilization.

SB 1108 would encourage propaganda, not education, in our public schools.

The measure is the latest attempt by anti-immigrant-rights ideologues to impose their will on a majority of Arizonans who, we believe, are tolerant of and encouraging of cultural diversity.

We urge state lawmakers to reject SB 1108 and send the message that we are a tolerant, welcoming society and that we will let school districts decide the educational standards for their communities.