HispanicVista Columnists
The Latino Agenda in the 21st Century: Education
By Manuel Hernandez
April 5, 2006
copyrights 2006 @Manuel Hernandez
There has been a lot of talk about the
fact that Latinos are the largest minority in the United States. According
to census projections, close to half of the population will be Latino by
half of the 21st Century. Hispanic Magazine describes the phenomenon as the
Minority Nation. The Latino population growth has surpassed all predictions
and continues to baffle census specialists. There are many Latino issues on
top of table, but the following seem to be the most relevant: home
ownership, immigration, health insurance, economic growth, security and
education. As a hard-core believer in the power of education, all of the
issues served are appetizers of a quality education.
It was in 1967 with the publication of Down These Mean Streets that the legendary pioneer of Latino letters, Piri Thomas, made El Barrio in Manhattan a household name. The classic autobiography portrayed and depicted the issues of the late 1960's: identity, survival and racism. But in 2004, the climactic point in the Latino drama is education. With an approximate 25 % high school dropout rate average and merely 6% registration at the graduate level in colleges and universities across America, the numbers speak for themselves and have been thrust around at will by those who have interests of all sorts. There are good news all over the United States, but we cannot walk out on the invitation.
In-spite of all the good intentions coming from one party and another, a sound and solid based educational plan has yet to be designed and created. How will the National Latino high school dropout rate be attended? What academic plan will be drawn to ensure that Latino teens entering high school in 2004-2005 will not drop out tomorrow? How will those young adults graduating from high school receive motivation, information and support to pursue graduate studies? The answers to these and other educational questions remain tied up in the language of ideas discussed by politicians at all corners of the electoral table.
Under President Bush's No Child Left Behind Law, there is renewed accountability, enhanced flexibility and community control. At the same time, there is an emphasis on teaching strategies that have worked in the past. But there are no specific, concise and detailed suggestions on how states should tackle the desired educational outcomes. The good intentions are undeniable, but the ideas do not fulfill the academic demands of a population that continues to impact, influence and redefine America.
The academic demands of the growing Latino
school population cannot be taken lightly and should provide immediate
intervention, pre-planned prevention and long-term planning. The highest
high school dropout rate amongst minorities is preventing
Latinos to attain a higher education degree. According to the U.S.
Department of Labor, a college graduate will earn more over a lifetime
period than a high school graduate. However, in the traditional age group,
only 25 percent of foreign-born Latinos who graduated from high school are
enrolled in an undergraduate institution. On the other hand, 40 percent of
second generation of Latinos high school graduates attends college. If
Latinos are less likely to graduate from high school but continue to grow in
population, the United States has an economic situation that needs serious
attention. Why not make it a national priority to work with states to
develop a vision in tune with the necessities of the Latino teen?
Latino teens are scoring poorly in city, state and national testing requirements. Teens have difficulties reacting and responding to literature that is far away from their immigrant experience. The literary text possesses no fixed and final meaning or value; there is no one "correct" meaning. According to Louise Rosenblatt, a poem is "what the reader lives through under the guidance of the text." If Latino teens cannot make a connection with the text, there will be little possibility of an interpretation. It makes absolutely no sense to serve Poe, Shakespeare or Hemingway to a recently arrived seventeen year old from Guatemala, just to mention an example. As a consequence, the possibilities of better scores in these exams are reduced to a minimum.
- Latino teens today are open to options, and the media
moguls are taking the head start, but It is the responsibility of
government, teachers, administrators, parents and educational advocates to
provide them with the keys to their educational experience. I strongly
believe that for once and for all education should be highlighted as the
core issue not only by Bush but by Latino leaders and academics alike.
There are so many of us, but we have not decided on the best interest of
our future generations:
education - ________________________________________________________
Hernandez lives in Naguabo, Puerto Rico and enjoys spending his free time with his beautiful wife, Maria and his seventeen-year old son, Jose Manuel and his newborn son, Josue Esteban. He is a disciple at Abundant Life Church in Fajardo. Also visit: http://www.puertoricans.com/
(Editor's note: Manuel Hernandez created a Yahoogroup for the discussion of literature and education. HispanicVista highly recommends this effort and urges its readers to join and participate. Write to Manuel at: mannyh32@yahoo.com or visit and join at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/latinoliterature