HISPANIC EDUCATION:

ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Presented to

Dr. Brad Allison, Superintendent

Albuquerque Public Schools

On November 9, 1998, six brave souls appeared at the APS Superintendent's door to present a series of issues and concerns about the education of Hispanic youth. Conchita Lucero, the group leader, had been working on this project for months. She conceived, planned, mobilized people and resources and executed the plan. The following people participated:

Conchita Lucero, Cuarto Centenario Committee and Parade Chair
Ron Miera, President, Hispanic Genealogical Research Center
Max de Aragon, Vice-President, New Mexican Hispanic Culture Preservation League
Millie Santillanes, Albuquerque Founder's Day Committee
Dr. Prescilla Lucero, Educational Consultant
Dr. Pelayo Fernandez, Cultural Representative, Sister Cities & UNM Professor of Spanish, Retired

Conchita began the meeting by thanking Dr. Allison for meeting with us to begin a dialogue about educational issues affecting our Hispanic students. She told him that our goal is to contribute our time and expertise to the improvement of the retention rate and the academic achievement of Hispanic students

Issues and Concerns

Conchita suggested to Dr. Allison that some of the following issues need to be vigorously reviewed, improved, strengthened, and in some cases dropped. Each person in the group then made comments in his or her area of interest as appropriate.

Conchita introduced Prescilla Lucero who advocated the expansion and improvement of Spanish instruction programs. The following points were discussed. Dr. Allison seemed open to our point of view.

Expand Bi-Literacy Program

We strongly support second language programs such as the one planned at Dolores Gonzales Elementary

Spanish is a world language spoken by millions of people, and is an important component of Hispanic culture and identity.

Current research indicates that people who are truly bilingual score higher on the verbal sections of achievement tests; score higher on creativity tests; are more likely to exhibit a positive global attitude.

In a global economy, proficiency in Spanish would be an economic, social and political asset., not to mention a source of pride for Hispanic students.

Our members encourage APS to continue increasing Spanish language programs. We offer our support and assistance in those endeavors.

Conchita introduced the topic of the weakness in current treatment of Hispanic history and people in APS curriculum and materials. The second issue proposed:

Design a Hispanic Education Plan

We request input on textbook selection and curriculum design that is culturally sensitive in the depiction of Hispanics and the history of our people in New Mexico.

The high dropout rate among Hispanic students cries out for curriculum designs and instructional materials that are culturally relevant, accurate and meaningful. Courses about the culture, art, literature and history of an important segment of our population should be offered so that all students will appreciate the richness and importance of this world culture. Knowledge of Hispanic culture will promote mutual respect and appreciation between Hispanic and non-Hispanic students.

Ron Miera presented Dr. Allison with a copy of New Mexico's First Colonists and suggested that the book along with Origins of New Mexico Families be purchased by APS to be placed in all schools. Ron also described the activities of the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center and offered their services in providing programs for APS schools. Dr. Allison was very receptive, stating that he was a former history teacher.

Hispanic students must be taught by staff trained to provide culturally relevant, accurate and meaningful learning experiences to improve student achievement. Max de Aragon pointed out that most Americans apparently do not have much basic knowledge about the world if we are to believe Leno's Jaywalking shows. Max suggested that APS teachers probably do not know much about of New Mexico history, and certainly even less about the role of Hispanics in New Mexico.

Knowledge of the richness, importance and contributions of Hispanic culture to the world in general, and the United States in particular will contribute to the self-esteem of Hispanic students. In addition, intellectual rigor will be well served if an accurate, honest and objective treatment of history and culture is provided to all students. Pelayo Fernandez provided Dr. Allison with a packet of materials which should be used in the teaching of history which substantiate the importance of Spanish involvement in the United States and the rest of the New World.

Millie Santillanes spoke about the sins of omission in the teaching of New Mexico history and the abject quality of the materials used to teach it. She specifically mentioned:

History textbooks used by APS (Roberts & Roberts) omit important events and contributions of the Spanish in New Mexico.
Hispanic celebrations supported by APS focus on Mexican historical events with little or no emphasis on New Mexican history and culture.

Hispanic children are taken on field trips to Acoma where our history is presented in a pejorative and biased way. A balanced, docu-mented view of history must be presented.

Dr. Allison seen genuinely disturbed by the examples Conchita gave. He agreed that such disparagement is not acceptable.

Founder's Day

The founding of Alburquerque in 1706 is an historical event and one of great importance not only to Hispanics, but to everyone who calls the city home. To promote civic pride and create good community relations, APS should actively participate in activities during the annual celebration. This would be a wonderful time to study cultures, traditions, and New Mexico history in a fun, positive manner.

Our organizations are available to provide source materials, speakers, and activities for teachers and students. APS should involve student organizations such as the bands drama classes, etc., in active participation. We have made strong efforts to help in this endeavor without response from APS.

Leadership from the highest levels is required to assure successful participation. We need the support of school officials. We are willing to offer concrete ideas to APS.

Millie Santillanes spoke forcefully about the importance Founder's Day activities and gave specific ways that APS could support our celebrations.

APS could encourage participation by posting flyers in all schools.
Schools could allow members of Albuquerque's Founder's Day Board to speak to some classes about the founding of our city.
School bands could march in the Founder's Day parade.
Essay contests, art projects, and other activities should be held during the Founder's Day celebrations.
The film on the founding of our city should be shown throughout the system.

Conchita then moved to the final issue for discussion. The Albuquerque Public Schools must provide strong leadership by requiring the participation of school personnel and students in important events and activities, which celebrate the Hispanic culture and history of Albuquerque and New Mexico. The following recommendations were made:

Cultural Awareness and Community Involvement

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month 15 September-15 October

It is Federal government policy to provide educational activities celebrating the contributions of Hispanics to American life. Hispanic students deserve equal treatment in showing respect to their culture and contributions to American life, as do African Americans and Indians, etc.

Every classroom in the APS system must develop lessons and activities during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Celebration of Cuarto Centenario

For many Hispanic families, the arrival of the Spanish in New Mexico has great emotional and historical importance, which requires acknowledgement and respect. The settling of New Mexico by five hundred families led by Don Juan de Oñate is an historical fact and intellectual honesty requires an objective depiction of that event.

Conchita, in a firm and calm voice, made it clear that APS must review and change the practices currently in force in the APS Indian Education Program.

APS must review and correct materials printed and distributed in the name of the school system which present biased portrayals of Hispanic history and people. For example, the history of the Spanish settlement of New Mexico as depicted in the Indian Education newsletter, the Storyteller. is highly biased and unfairly critical of Hispanics although contemporaneous records kept by Spanish writers provide other points of view.

CONCLUSION

Conchita assured Dr. Allison, that our organizations are committed to long term efforts to support APS in improving the educational performance of Hispanic youth.

We proposed the following:

A series of follow-up meetings to continue our dialogue and monitor the progress of programs designed to help Hispanic youth.
Vigorous efforts to establish strong two-way communication between our groups. APS officials. We often do not receive responses to our letters.
A liaison should be assigned to work with our group leaders in order to improve relations between APS and the Hispanic community.
Dr. Allison was invited to participate in Hispanic community activities in order to promote mutual understanding and improve communication.

Believe it or not, all of this information was presented orally in just over an hour, which demonstrates the excellent planning and organization that went into preparing for the meeting. A booklet containing the information presented orally was given to Dr. Allison who agreed to review it carefully. He also agreed to contact us in the near future. Prescilla Lucero will be the liaison between APS and the organizations present.

In sum, our group made an excellent first impression; we were well prepared.

Drafted by Dr. Prescilla Lucero

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