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America Sanic

Professor Holly Batty

English 101

11 December 2019

Latinx Students Don't Succeed Because of Racism

Throughout the year's racism has been a part of our lives. It has affected every individual,

and most of all, it continues affecting students. Many students have experienced racism in their

schools, either from their peers or their teachers. I have seen this happen, and I am 100% sure

other students like me have seen this before too. This situation took place at my high school, in

my math class, when the professor was focusing more on one side of the room instead of the

whole room. I had a few friends who were in that class, one of them needed help understanding,

so he raised his hand, and the professor saw him, walked by and ignored him. I didn't grasp what

was happening, but I knew it was wrong. He's a Latino student whos asking for help so I did

what everyone should have done, I stood up to him and addressed the situation I said "why are

you completely ignoring him when you noticed him, if he's asking for help, he needs your help,

and you're not giving him that, why is that?" The professor's response was "I didn't see him,

sorry." Professors judge them by their color they think that they know us, but they don’t, they

don't know that there are many talented Latino students out there who are very smart, and they

are not being recognized, and are being held back on their education because of their background

looks. Racism keeps on progressing throughout the years and needs to change. We need to

arrange workshops on prejudices not only for teachers and students but for everyone. For Latinx
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students to achieve and have more opportunities in the future. Although some people believe that

financial aid is a problem for Latinx students, and I agree that Latino students do struggle with

financial aid, but if you see closely, money is not the problem, racism is, with this situation

happening, Latino students and other ethnicities are not able to accomplish their education, are

losing opportunities, and it's harming their physical and mental health.

Some colored students are not able to accomplish their education because of the way they

are looked at. Some people look at African American as troublemakers, they are probably the

highest race that are being targeted. On this website “How Racism Affects Minority Students in

Public Schools,” Nadra Kareem Nittle, states, “ Black students are three times more likely to be

suspended or expelled than their white peers” (Nittle). Afriacn American already have that label

on them, they tend to suspend them because of their ethnicity history. How can they get an

education if they keep on getting expelled and targeting them first because they know their past.

The student can not advance in their education with this situation going on still. Everyone should

be given the same learning skills and deserve to achieve.

There are many opportunities that are being taken away from latinx students because

racism is being faced at their school. Students should be given opportunities by their professor,

some professors want their students to thrive, take opportunities and to achieve. This is what

some students expect from their teachers, they become professors to help their students succeed.

On this website “Latinx students experience racism on campus” Rachel Durante explains her

experience in dealing with race at her school, she states, “that during her freshman year when

she raised her hand to ask what a word was on the whiteboard the professor responded, ‘I knew
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you were going to ask what it means, but I’m not going to tell you.’“It was for a quiz,” L.D. said.

“He said that in front of everyone. It’s just little things, but they are still very embarrassing”

(Durante). Why have a professor if they don't want you to succeed? What is the purpose of

having to go to class and not getting the help? Her opportunities on her education is being taken

away from her, she can’t move forward if she keeps on getting denied by her professors. This is

affecting them and its affecting the latinx gap, this is the reason why the gap is not closing. No

student should go through this, we should all have the opportunity to succeed.

Students who are being bullied at school because of their race can hurt their general

health. Some students don't understand that words can hurt others and change them. This affects

their health because they overthink themselves like, they don’t belong, they are bringing

themselves down, and start searching for a different pathway. On this website, “American

Latinos And The Challenges Of Discrimination In US Schools,” Dania Santana explains what

students go through, she said, “As it usually happens with victims of bullying, many children

skip school, are distracted, start acting out or simply lose motivation about school altogether.

While it might seem that the issue of discrimination in US schools is a problem for minority

families and the kids who face it, we are in front of a much bigger problem” (Santana). Students

skip school because they don’t want to feel pain and hear criticism from students. They lose their

focus on their education and tend to follow a different path. Students who make other students

feel bad and discriminate against each other are not getting the chance to learn, they are running

away from their education, and it’s not okay, because these students have the potential to be

someone in the future and someone is bringing them down

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A solution that could be solved for students facing racism at school students and teachers

should be provided a workshop to get properly educated on their prejudices on what is right and

what is wrong. It is necessary to understand this otherwise Latinx student will keep on having

that gap in the school system because of how they continue not to give a proper education. Many

exercises can be done to reduce racism, on this article “Talking about racism in our schools:

Frank discussions about personal and institutional racism helped Lodi USD improve

achievement among African American and Latino students ” Daryl Camp, states, “ The efforts to

increase conversations about race and student achievement have varied. Site principals and their

equity teams have been encouraged to use their PEG training to provide professional

development at their sites. During a professional development day in 2007, many site equity

teams guided their staff through discussions around a video or book involving race.” he also

continuous “Over the last six years, all student ethnic groups have demonstrated academic

achievement gains at Bear Creek High School. During the initial years of this period all student

groups were improving” (Camp). With the training being provided to all ethnic groups are

gaining more academic achievements, this strategy is helping students with color improve in

their education. With these workshop being provided to school can decrease the problems latinx

are facing and the Latino gap will be closing and not stretching. Latinx and ethnic groups

students will have the potential to succeed and not be held back.

There are some latinx students who do struggle with financial aid. Without the

help that they need they won't have the chance to go to school and get an education. I know a

couple of friends who didn't get the chance to go to school for this reason. They decided to work

and see what the future holds for them. But I argue that financial aid is not the problem for many
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students, there are many ways to get loans and there are some schools that are free. Some schools

do offer help and have programs for students like them. The real issue that's going on here is the

latinx gap that is stretching and not closing because of race that is being faced at schools. When a

student is being mistreated and criticizes they often tend to miss school, affect their education,

and hurt their mental and physical health. Some people don't know what they feel but they

should feel what they are going through to get an idea of what it is like for them and to have an

understanding. Which is why we should focus more on this topic than financial aid, because not

only are they are missing schools but that are affecting their future and their education.

In conclusion, students should be receiving the proper education for them to succeed,

they should not be harming their health, and losing their opportunities because racism is being

faced not only at school but everywhere. Some people need to understand and have more focus

on this topic because it's an issue that's been going on for years and Latino students are not

achieving academically, the Latinos student's gap system is not closing because of this situation

and we should be on top because many Latino students have the potential to succeed and are

someone in the future.

Work cited

1. Kareem Nittle, Nadra. “How Racism Affects Minority Students in Public Schools”

ThoughCo, August 08, 2019, https://www.thoughtco.com/how-racism-affects-public-school-

minorities-4025361
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2. Durante, Rachel. “Latinx students experience racism on campus” Hawk Newspaper Est.

1929, https://www.sjuhawknews.com/latinx-students-experience-racism-on-campus/

3. Santana, Dania. “American Latinos And The Challenges Of Discrimination In US

Schools.” https://embracingdiversity.us/american-latinos-discrimination-in-us-schools/

4. Camp, Daryl. "Talking about racism in our schools: Frank discussions about personal

and institutional racism helped Lodi USD improve achievement among African

American and Latino students." Leadership, Mar.-Apr. 2009, p. 20+. Gale In Context:

College,

https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A195981077/CSIC?u=lavc_main&sid=CSIC&xid=00a54

33a.