Did you know that there is only one course at The New School that covers Mexico and Mesoamerica's art, history, culture, and theory? The Parsons School of Design has expressed the desire to cancel the class, meaning that after this semester, New School students will no longer have the option to study Mesoamerica or Mexico as a totality. The students currently taking Of Fire and Blood: Art and Mythology of Mexico with Professor Arredondo have just released the following petition in support of keeping the class in the curriculum:

"We as students now enrolled in Prof. Arredondo’s course “Of Fire and Blood: Art and Mythology of Mexico” are very disappointed to hear that it may be canceled. This course has exposed us to a history and culture that is rarely taught in universities. The stories and mythologies that range from the Popol Vuh to the earliest cultures of the Americas have been inspirational, and the section on the Mexican muralists has been eye-opening. The course is so unique and inspiring that some of us are considering changing our graduating thesis.

As students of The New School, we expect that the values of the school will align with our coursework and the way our professors are treated. To cancel Professor Arredondo’s class in the middle of the semester is uncalled for. The loss of a class like Art and Mythology of Mexico would be felt deeply as it is currently the only class being offered at The New School about Mesoamerican and indigenous history, culture, and art, especially in the pre-Hispanic period.

The New School advertises itself based on its values of progressivism, diversity, and exposure to a non-Western curriculum, so we do not see a justification for canceling the only course that allows students to study Mesoamerica and its culture. We do not want to be the last students at The New School to be educated in the cultural heritage of our southern neighbor, which is more relevant than ever: We, the undersigned, ask that you seriously reconsider its cancellation."

We ask that you support us and our professor in encouraging the school to reconsider cancelling this class which has provided us with a very valuable education. We want to give future students at The New School the opportunity to take this class and we do not want to see Mesoamerica erased from the Parsons curriculum. Please sign our petition, which we will forward to the School Curriculum Committee to urge them to reconsider their decision.