by Jorge Sanchez
Anthropology Instructor
Hartnell College
Salinas, California

As a member of the society of California and as a researcher in anthropological sciences, I wanted to provide an overview of the difficulties Latino students continue to face in the educational system of the state. Throughout my career as an educator I came to the realization that the restructuring of this important institution is necessary in order to make it more effective. As a Latino I feel that education is one of the most important problems our community faces that needs to be solved because these are issues that will ultimately affect the entire society of the state.

Despite various studies showing an increase in the number of high school and college graduates, the educational system in California continues to fail to serve the Latino community, making us the largest disenfranchised sector of the state's population. Furthermore, the progress made in this area over the last few decades appears to be crumbling as a result of the current political atmosphere. The problem has been intensifying to such a degree that the voting majority of our society, unfamiliar with the Latino community and the schools in our neighborhoods, sees this as an inner-city or rural problem deserving little attention. Their solution is to neglect the reality we live in and place their children in private institutions, or to simply move to the middle class suburbs without considering the long term implications of their actions to the society in general. This segment of our society which currently determines the economic and political future of our state does not recognize the fact that California is a multicultural and multilingual state. Until they confront and accept this reality, the deficiencies in the educational system will persist and will continue to fail the Latino community.

Latino activists are aware of the challenges faced by administrators and educators alike, and they understand the magnitude of the obstacles that lie ahead. If minorities are denied access from participating in the restructuring of the educational system in an attempt to solve the problems, our society shifts from a road of constructiveness to one of social disaster. Education is a fundamental institution that acts as a binding force in any polity, so when major sectors like the Latino community are alienated from this basic principle the society as a whole unravels. If this is the case, why does the current majority allow this problem to continue? Although the answer is multi-faceted, a root cause could be because these people have accepted the status quo.

From an anthropological perspective, the culture of the status quo serves the needs of the dominant classes and seldom those of underrepresented groups. In most societies the ruling segments of the population resist change, because it threatens their grip on power. It is not in their best interest to represent the less dominant sectors that call for change. In order to secure their status and the social privileges that come with it, the rulers wish those whom they incorporate into their stratum to remain the sole decision makers, often electing members that support their common goals. Many officials, administrators, and teachers of California's educational institutions also enjoy this entitlement. Thus they will thus elect, recruit, hire, and replace themselves with individuals who share their philosophy.

In the society of the United States, the forces that allow members of the educational institutions to function in an elitist manner have been incorporated in the democratic process. And since minority communities in many regions lack the economic power and the necessary voting representation, their concerns are seldom taken into account by elected officials. In a similar fashion, the Latino community of California has been alienated from the electoral process of the state, but here the problem is accentuated even further as a result of the large number of first generation immigrants, and we are unable to elect our own representatives and demand for ourselves inclusion consistently in the democratic system. Therefore, many elected officials perpetuate our disenfranchisement by not representing us and by excluding us from the decision-making process of important institutions in our neighborhoods such as schools. Our needs are not even served by some officials that do represent our communities, who publicly use rhetoric as a tool to address the problems our community faces--insensitivity, inequality, bilingualism, multiculturalism, shared governance--but seldom actually do anything about them. In some instances, institutions may even obtain local, state, or federal funds on behalf of Latinos, however, they rarely accept community involvement or outside inspection to see if they are in fact fulfilling their objectives.

The inequalities between ethnic groups and social classes within various state institutions have become so common place that they have permeated every aspect of the educational system as well. Members of society who are unaffected by inequality can come to view it as an inevitable part of the status quo. The Latino community cannot accept this deficiency in the schools. Simply put: the institutionalization of social inequality benefits the ruling classes by distancing them further from it. As the saying goes; "if you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem."

The lack of true leaders committed to our community is one of the most predominant features observed in inner-city and rural educational institutions where large numbers of Latinos live. This fact is so prevalent at every level of the system that few individuals question it. Those who do are ignored, because the current political climate favors those who wish to maintain the status quo. This, unfortunately, encompasses the majority of administrators and educators in most schools and colleges.

Role models need not necessarily be from a minority but it is surely an advantage to have directly experienced the common realities of the community from which underrepresented students emerge. Sharing racial and social class with the students helps an educator make the course materials more relevant and attractive. Bringing diversity to an institution is, however, only part of the process of improving education among the Latino community. Other elements, such as bilingualism, are equally vital in order to effectively relate to our students, but it must be stressed that merely speaking our language is not enough; an educator must make a connection at a cognitive level as well. This requires an understanding of the cultural and historical components that make up our community, something which is rarely acquired without being immersed in our environment.

In order for the Latino community to achieve representation in California's educational system, it is fundamental that we are empowered at every level the educational process. For instance, recognizing that multiculturalism is a reality of our state, many schools in the primary grades have been on the forefront by designing thematic units to address this issue. This, however, is rarely the case at higher levels, and it is virtually inexistant in post-secondary schools. In this fashion, the realities of the Latino community are not being considered as components of the society as a whole. As an essential role model, a teacher needs to provide our community's perspective in an interdisciplinary approach to the curriculum that utilizes it as the nuclear theme. Thus the lessons in any area of study can be designed so that the Latino student becomes the central issue.

Innovative ways of teaching are important because the field of teaching is dynamic, and should strive to incorporate pedagogical methods being established by researchers. This is especially important for any role model because the community the instructor serves is also dynamic, particularly in areas where immigrants arrive continuously. It is for this reason that institutions should respond to the statistical trends that the community undergoes and demand that its educators be representative role models.

A role model should be an active participant in the community. A teacher understands that as an educator in a public institution one is in fact an employee of the society. The instructor's concern should be to provide programs and a curriculum that reflect the needs of the population the educational institution serves. In cases where the school is supposed to serve the Latino community, our reality should be incorporated into the classroom instruction. The educator's commitment to our community should be reflected by providing creative teaching techniques, which may incorporate technology, in order to deliver instructional matter that makes sense in today's job market. At the same time, it is essential to emphasize our principles as individuals, and as members of an ancient cultural heritage which deserves its place in this society.

Teachers should no longer be confined to the classroom, but must instead be a liaison between the community and the institution. Society at large must demand the creation of this bridge, because the problems faced by Latinos will also affect the rest of society. A restricted number of school districts such as San Francisco have come to this realization for some time, deciding to empower parents and students alike. This decision has resulted in a number of middle class Anglo students being sent to inner-city schools by their parents to interact and learn the ways of the people with whom they share their lives. Other districts have formed task forces composed of neighborhood individuals that work with the schools to recruit role models. These changes do not occur, however, until the community members demand what is their right as participants in a democratic society.

The community needs to be involved in every aspect of the decision-making process, with their role models being an effective means by which to channel their needs. Although some success has been achieved in this area, most new immigrants and low income families rarely take part. Participation by Latino immigrants in higher levels of education is a recent phenomenon in this country. This is reflected in the virtual nonexistence at the post-secondary level of appropriate role models, despite various claims by these institutions and ideas such as shared governance.

Colleges and universities have for some time been vociferous about sharing the decision- making process with bodies other than administration. The reality is that shared governance has been confined to the employees at the institutions themselves, and does not include the community. Latino activists have categorically denounced this claim as rhetoric implemented to deceive us, since this strategy merely incorporates instructors and personnel into the institution's decision-making stratum. There are no documented cases in which colleges and universities include members of the Latino community in the committees which make important decisions, such as recruiting administrators, personnel, and instructors or the implementation of programs and curricula.

It is fundamental that underrepresented minorities are included in every decision-making body, specially at institutions that predominantly serve Latinos. We should not accept justifications for this exclusion of our community, such as our "lack of interest," because otherwise the entire principle of the idea of shared governance loses validity. It is the duty of the administrators to find ways to attract us to their institutions; after all, they are our employees as tax-paying citizens.

Recent events in various areas of the world like Central Africa demonstrate the consequences that could result when elements of the same society are alienated and excluded from participation. What is ironic in this example is that this part of the world is located in what once was the most diverse ecosystem on this planet, much the same way as the Amazons in South America. These tropical rain forest regions are the most stable and ancient biotic systems housing numerous plant and animal life which provide us with new species daily. Many of these new natural resources may even help us find cures for cancer, aids, and other illnesses that are affecting the human population. Unfortunately, these diverse environments are being reduced at a tremendous pace in order to make them more uniform by transforming them into mono systems like pastures and agricultural areas. Such urge to make everything and everyone more homogenous in order to conform to the desires of those who define our economic and social state seems to be the norm among many nations, not realizing that what makes them strong is in fact their respective diversity. California, and United States in general, has to come to terms with the fact that Latinos form an integral component of the society, therefore, addressing the needs of our community will ultimately benefit the entire population.