NCACS -- News: 2005 NCACS Member Resolution on the Marisol Doll Protest

2005 NCACS Member Resolution on the Marisol Doll Protest

The 2005 NCACS National Conference, hosted by the Forum Highschool in Chicago, convened at the Institute of Cultural Affairs. During the Conference it was brought to the coalition's attention that students from Latino Youth Alternative High School,(Instiuto Progreso Latino), Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School and others had been exercising their democratic rights as citizens of the United States of America, by demonstrating against the sale of the Marisol Doll story, (American Girl Series) which harmfully misrepresents Latino communities such as Pilsen.

An article in the Chicago Sun Times, rather than recognizing the democratic process in action, and the spirit of justice for all on which our nation is founded, subjected the students to a disrespectful rebuke in the form of an insulting and inaccurate protrayal of their status as highschool students and as citizens,

By unanimous vote, NCACS members have drafted the following resolution on behalf of the students:

The National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools

Resolution

Regarding the Chicago Sun Times Article about The Student Protest of the Marisol Doll Story

We, the membership of the National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools, at the Annual Spring Conference held in Chicago, Illinois from May 12 through May 15, have confirmed the following resolution:

Whereas the Mattel Corporation has created a series of dolls and stories meant to represent the many cultures of people through American History; and

Whereas the Marisol Doll story misrepresents the neighborhood of Pilsen as an undesirable place to live and omits the reality of the strengths and cohesiveness of Latino neighborhoods as cultural centers; and

Whereas, in accordance with an educational philosophy that honors the democratic process, the students of Latino Youth Alternative High School, Instituto Progreso Latino, Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School and others, protested, rightfully, this misrepresentation of their culture and neighborhoods; and

Whereas the Chicago Sun Times newspaper compounded this offense with their one-sided portrayal of the protesting students as dropouts and discounted the educational value of their democratic action, which is a primary value of participants at this national conference;

Be it Resolved, therefore, by the students and staff representative of the National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools that the Chicago Sun Times issue a public apology and retract their misrepresentation of the protesting students as dropouts.

And further, that the Chicago Sun Times Newspaper designate a reporter to interview students of these communities for the purpose of presenting a balanced view of the situation, acknowledging the racial and cultural stereotyping, otherwise represented in their previous report.