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Stephanie Perdomo

Mrs. Dadabhoy

Latin@ Literature

19 November 2021

Hispanic and Latin@s obstacles within the education system

The importance of education to hispanics is highly valued and important to them. People

value education to their full potential in which they work hard to become successful in what they

want in their future. This means a lot to many people that want to help their families live in

comfortable spaces. Despite many backgrounds of students, many seem to succeed in school.

Hispanics and Latin@s value education and its benefits in which a majority try to make it to

college. Many hispanic students have family members that didn’t have opportunities in education

and try to urge their children to try in their education. Within years, though, Hispanics and

Latinos still face discrimation and inequitable problems that reside in the education systems.

There have been many true stories either written out, or made into documentaries or

movies based on the hispanic communities educational problems to show what struggles

hispanics and latinos go through. Stand and Deliver is one great example of a problem the

education system failed to have teachers care about the students’ education that was based on

true events. But only one specific teacher, Mr. Escalante cared about his job and students. This

teacher tried everything in his power to get those students to succeed in calculus even if they

seemed uninterested or didn’t care. Later on, they showed they were progressing more in their

learning. The students were able to score well in their exam but the school thought something

was wrong. The ETS (educational testing services) suspected they all cheated because they had

identical mistakes so they accused the students of cheating. There was an investigation that led to
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the students being integrated. Mr. Escalante did not take this well and accused them of racially

discriminating against his students. “They wouldn’t be investigated if they didn’t have different

backgrounds.” “You are treating them like criminals” was some of the remarks Mr. Escalante

told the ETS. Months later the students took the test again despite one day of studying and still

scored well in the test. Even if they had similar mistakes, the school made them look as if they

were criminals by interrogating them because of accusations.

So far Hispanics in America have been racial unfair for many years since from the start

after America started to grow in the 1900’s. The Latino struggle for Educational access and

Equity article by Victoria gives us insight into how Latin@s pushed through obstacles in order to

gain the education access and equity for their children within segregated schools. Under

Americanizion and resistance, 1848-1930’s, xenophobic measures resulted in passage of the

restrive 1921 and 1924 Immigration acts and English only statues in schools. Anti-Immigrants

resulted in increased measures of segregation from “white'' public places such as institutions

such as swimming pools, parks, schools, and establishments. This in fact, not only were

hispanics were separated not only from public schools but other public communities. Educational

policies did vary though depending on economic and political power over the Mexican

population. One example, in paragraph 10, the new states of Texas and California experienced

more rapid Americanization and English-only policies from Anglo settlers pushing east and

bringing with them distinct schooling and traditions. Paragraph 12 states, unlike African

Americans in the south that were in segregated schooling, Mexican-American children in the

southern and midwestern states were placed in “custom” classrooms or schools in the beginning

of the early 1990’s. Mexican American students were also put in different and lower classes

based on the political economy of the southwestern agricultural system. This was defended by
Anglo administrators by saying it was the result of the lack of English language even though a

majority of “Mexicans' ' spoke only english. White parents were determined to keep “Mexican”

children out of their “American schools''. Many Mexican children were not segregated from K-8

until high school. One specific protest began in Kansas City when four students in a white school

for one year, in which only three graduated. This was the first unofficial record though that was

found for the struggle of equal rights. A policy was out for students that couldn’t talk English at

all to shut them out. Under the color of law, Mexicans were classified as “white” but this was

written out as a lie because they are still mistreated.

Poems tend to represent and give emotions through words. Many write their own

thoughts or more thoughts and emotions. I Am Joaquin is a poem written during the civil rights

movement. The poem was based on a real historical character, Joaquin Murrieta in which he

represents himself as many Mexican Americans. The poem was written for social justice and

taught many young Latin@s about their past from the mistreatment and unfair equality. From the

start of the poem, Joaquin describes his confusion in the gringo society, the struggle of his

people, and the rules. He is mixed, part indigenous and part Spaniard but he isn't fully accepted

in either of his cultures. Joanquid’s people were suppressed towards resources and education. He

also says he hasn’t reached Anglos’ definitions of success. This generates a sense of failure in

being in a different country in which Mexican Americans are rejected in society. This society

treated Mexican Americans horrily due to the bloodline of Spanish kings and indigenous chiefs.

Additionally, Mexican Americans’ accomplishments were stolen and claimed by white

Americans. Joaquin expressed how his people were called harsh things, horrible acts were done

upon them, and some suffered through grief within a lost loved one of the Mexican-American

war. He cried because he saw his people’s suffering and refused to stay silent over these horrible
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acts of dicrimination towards them. Joaquin urges his people to start a revolution to fight for

their rights.

Documentaries are what lets us see and hear more experiences from those who were

actually there. A Class Apart sho

What I have learned so far was how cruel policies in the school system were in the past

years. These readings and documentaries opened my eyes towards education and its purpose and

importance. I see valuing my education could lead to many opportunities that could lead to my

success in the future. Some may not feel the same way but they have time to think wisely about

the future they want. Many hispanic parents now do much have any education or high paying

jobs. These parents want what’s best for their kids and try to push to try their hardest in school.

People should see and read how our education system would have never changed if our ancestors

would have not done anything to change our easy way to success.
 Works Cited

MacDonald, Victoria-Maria, “Demanding Their Rights: The Latino Struggle for Educational

Access and Equity” National Parks Service, U.S Department of the Interior, July 10 2021

https://www.nps.gov/articles/latinothemeeducation.htm

Gonzales, Rodolfo “Corky”. I Am Joaquin

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/latinos/joaquin.htm

Garcia, Karen, “Biden Administration wants to recreate DACA through new federal law, what

does that mean?” Los Angeles Times, 9 November, 2021,

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-11-09/biden-administration-wants-to-re-cr

eate-daca-through-new-federal-rule-what-does-that-mean