Chicano Students And The Courts By Richard R. Valencia

In the book Chicano Students and the Courts, the author Richard R. Valencia provides a very detailed overlook of the education litigation that the Mexican American students and community went through for education. They fought for education equality and desegregation in schools throughout the country from K-12 and in higher education facilities. The separation of Mexican Americans from their white colleagues around 1848; this started the mistreatment and discrimination of students of Mexican decent. The objective that the author would like to demonstrate is the effort that the Latino community, parents and students, endured for equal opportunities in the educational system. The number of desegregation lawsuits that were created by Mexican

Laird (1925) was the first Mexican American litigation cases of school desegregation. The plaintiff Romo sued the defendant Tempe Elementary School District. The board directed the Mexican American children to the Eighth Street School; this was a school primarily consisting of Mexican American students who were segregated from their white comrades to attend a school taught by student teachers. These teachers weren’t even qualified; they were part of a beginners teaching program developed at Tempe State Teachers’ College. Romo argued that the teachers provided were not qualified and did not have the ability to teach properly compared to well qualified teachers. The defendants argued the Mexican American children were “Spanish speaking”, that their English needs would be appropriate in a segregated school facility. This segregation based on “instructional needs” was the first of its kind and it served to separate Mexican children from White children. Valencia brought this case to light in particular because it was the first case that a Mexican American, and what was also brought to attention was that school districts were neglecting Mexican American students by sending them to schools were student teachers practiced their teaching, hence, these children were mistreated and were receiving less of an education than other (White) children. This was the start of racialized

The numerous cases that were brought into the book were all part of the education litigation that was fought by Mexican Americans has been overseen by and many and almost forgotten. He accomplishes the success of the Mexican American journey of these law suits using critical race theory and shows the value of Chicano to education and shows how the Hispanic community carved the foundation in improving the educational opportunities for people of colored skin. The case of Independent School District v. Salvatierra (1930) was another case that was mentioned in this book and it was another case that segregated Mexican American children based off language grounds. Valencia makes this point very clear since this was commonly used by districts and was the only excuse to separate Chicano children from White children. The point was made across that it was unjust and unacceptable for these types of acts to happen in society. Since most of the accusations on behalf of the school district were of Mexican children supposedly with English language disabilities, which was based on race and was illegal. The school district had no tests to prove the Mexican American children had English language difficulties and they just assumed based on