I’m proud of my high school.

Not for any nostalgic reason, and I’ve never been to a reunion.

But for taking a stand.

The high school I went to is Highland Park High (class of 1976), in a cushy northern suburb of Chicago. It took a lot of guts for the school to cancel a December trip to Arizona by the girls’ basketball team for tournament play.

The school said that, due to the new anti-immigrant law in Arizona, it could not ensure that all of its players would “be included and be safe and be able to enjoy the experience.” And a school assistant superintendent added that the trip “would not be aligned with our beliefs and values.”

I almost broke out into the old school song when I read this. It’s just the kind of solidarity we need in the face of anti-American law that Arizona passed. I know the decision might be hard on some of the players, who raised money holding bake sales so they could go to the tournament. But this is the most racist law in the United States since the days of Jim Crow, and it needs to be repudiated. There are lessons greater than basketball that the students can learn from this: that discrimination is wrong; that scapegoating is wrong; that depriving people of their rights without due process is wrong.

The Highland Park school district is under fire from some rightwing corners for its decision, and some angry alums have been sounding off. I don’t know if there’s a group of alums that has already been formed to support the decision. But if there isn’t, there should be. And if there is, sign me up.

I hope more high schools like my alma mater endorse the boycott of Arizona,

But this isn’t about high schools. There’s a fight on for the future of our country.

Never one to miss out on an opportunity for demagoguery, Sarah Palin came to the Chicago area on Wednesday and slammed my old high school for its decision.

Then on Saturday in Phoenix, Palin encouraged everyone to go to Arizona and defy the boycotts that are gaining popularity.

"It's time for Americans across this great country to stand up and say 'We're all Arizonans now,’ “ Palin said.

She is calling all racists to congregate in Arizona.

Jan Brewer and Sarah Palin are fast becoming the George Wallace and Lester Maddox of our era.

Palin and the Paleolithic right are taking their stand in Phoenix.

All people of goodwill need to oppose them.

Matthew Rothschild is the editor of The Progressive magazine.