July 9, 2009
By Victor Landa
As news stories go this one may well be buried under layers of Michael Jackson tributes and post mortems, Sarah Palin’s resignation motives sweepstakes and the Sonia Sotomayor Senate hearings that begin on Monday. But that shouldn’t dissuade us from paying close attention.
In fact, maybe there is a correlation between the Sotomayor story and the recent publication of an interesting study about Latino children and their preparedness for school.
The study, entitled “The Cultural Strengths of Latino Families: Firm Scaffolds for Children and Youth” was published by the Education Writers Association in an effort to induce reporters and editorialists to include the strengths of the Latino community as they write about their poverty, criminality, unemployment and drop out rates.
“Media coverage,” the report’s brief says, “often accents the problems facing Latino children and families, advancing public awareness and policy action. Stories focus on the challenges facing undocumented families, economic poverty or troubling high school dropout rates.
Often lost in this coverage is a careful understanding of the cultural strengths and colorful diversity of Latino groups.”
So what are those stories, those strengths that go mostly unreported?
Here are at least three, according to the Education Writers Web site: more than 8 in 10 Latino toddlers are being raised in two-parent homes, which is comparable to white non-Latino families; dietary and health habits of Latino immigrant parents are stronger than those of average Americans; and Latino adolescents tend to show high levels of obligation to their family, but this sense of obligation can sometimes hinder educational advancement.
This matters, especially in light of the Sotomayor hearings, because hers is a story of achievement, of bootstrap advancement and family strength. There was a report published Monday, July 6, by the Associated Press that stated that many of Sotomayor’s relatives are planning to travel from Puerto Rico to be on hand for the confirmation hearings that start next week. It matters because of her personal history and because of the example of success it presents for all immigrant families.
It matters because of the appropriation of educational and social resources that will be determined by redistricting and next year’s census count. It matters because in this time of economic uncertainty there is a segment of our community that is getting it right.
Researchers call it the “immigrant paradox” because the findings of positive traits go against conventional held beliefs. This story is important if it dispels the idea of a paradox and recognizes the straight forward logic of the exceptional American immigrant.
But we’ll just have to see how the story fares against the backdrop of Michael Jackson’s untimely death, Sarah Palin’s mysterious politics and whatever scandal or celebrity sighting that happens to surface in the next few days.
Source: San Antonio Express-News
By Victor Landa
As news stories go this one may well be buried under layers of Michael Jackson tributes and post mortems, Sarah Palin’s resignation motives sweepstakes and the Sonia Sotomayor Senate hearings that begin on Monday. But that shouldn’t dissuade us from paying close attention.
In fact, maybe there is a correlation between the Sotomayor story and the recent publication of an interesting study about Latino children and their preparedness for school.
The study, entitled “The Cultural Strengths of Latino Families: Firm Scaffolds for Children and Youth” was published by the Education Writers Association in an effort to induce reporters and editorialists to include the strengths of the Latino community as they write about their poverty, criminality, unemployment and drop out rates.
“Media coverage,” the report’s brief says, “often accents the problems facing Latino children and families, advancing public awareness and policy action. Stories focus on the challenges facing undocumented families, economic poverty or troubling high school dropout rates.
Often lost in this coverage is a careful understanding of the cultural strengths and colorful diversity of Latino groups.”
So what are those stories, those strengths that go mostly unreported?
Here are at least three, according to the Education Writers Web site: more than 8 in 10 Latino toddlers are being raised in two-parent homes, which is comparable to white non-Latino families; dietary and health habits of Latino immigrant parents are stronger than those of average Americans; and Latino adolescents tend to show high levels of obligation to their family, but this sense of obligation can sometimes hinder educational advancement.
This matters, especially in light of the Sotomayor hearings, because hers is a story of achievement, of bootstrap advancement and family strength. There was a report published Monday, July 6, by the Associated Press that stated that many of Sotomayor’s relatives are planning to travel from Puerto Rico to be on hand for the confirmation hearings that start next week. It matters because of her personal history and because of the example of success it presents for all immigrant families.
It matters because of the appropriation of educational and social resources that will be determined by redistricting and next year’s census count. It matters because in this time of economic uncertainty there is a segment of our community that is getting it right.
Researchers call it the “immigrant paradox” because the findings of positive traits go against conventional held beliefs. This story is important if it dispels the idea of a paradox and recognizes the straight forward logic of the exceptional American immigrant.
But we’ll just have to see how the story fares against the backdrop of Michael Jackson’s untimely death, Sarah Palin’s mysterious politics and whatever scandal or celebrity sighting that happens to surface in the next few days.
Source: San Antonio Express-News
