Precious Knowledge

Precious Knowledge
Directed by	Ari Luis Palos
Produced by	Eren Isabel McGinnis
Music by	Naïm Amor
Edited by	Jacob Bricca
Production company	Dos Vatos Productions The Independent Television Service
Running time	approx. 70 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Precious Knowledge is a 2011 educational and political documentary that centers on the banning of the Mexican-American Studies(MAS) Program in the Tucson Unified School District of Arizona. The documentary was directed by Ari Luis Palos and produced by Eren Isabel McGinnis, both founders of Dos Vatos Productions.

Precious Knowledge interweaves the stories of students and teachers in the Mexican-American Studies (MAS) Program–also known as "la Raza Studies"– at Tucson Magnet High School. It narrates the progression of local legislation proposed by the former Arizona Department of Education Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, and other Arizona legislatures to eliminate the program, arguing that it fosters ethnic chauvinism and teaches "anti-American" values. Proponents of the program argue that the program has made a positive academic impact on the students and that the removal of the program would send an underlying message that Mexican-American students and their culture don't belong in America. Although the MAS Program was removed, MAS teachers and students challenged the banning at federal court. On August 22, 2017, a federal judge ruled that the ban on the program was racially discriminatory.

The opening scene introduces Crystal Terriquez, Priscila Rodriguez and Gilbert Esparza, all Mexican-American students participating in the Mexican-American Studies Program at Tucson High Magnet School in Tucson, Arizona. Crystal shares that she plans to attend college in order to set a proper example for her younger siblings. In the following scene, Priscila is shown preparing the dinner table and saying grace with her family. One seat at the dinner table is empty. Months earlier, Priscila's father had gone to the Department of Motor Vechicles (DMV) but failed to return home; their family was later informed of his detention and deportation due to his status as an undocumented immigrant. Priscila states that the MAS Program saved her from dropping out of high school during her freshman year and set her on a college-bound path. Sitting in a MAS Program classroom, Gilbert speaks about his academic struggles. After enrolling in the program, Glibert states that for the first time in his academic career he was enthralled by what he was being taught, resulting in an improvement of his grades. Over the course of the film, Crystal, Priscila, and Gilbert transform from reserved, disinterested individuals to academically challenged students—as well as engaged citizens within their community—advocating to keep the MAS Program alive.