Overcoming Triple Segregation

Patricia Gándara writes about the crippling segregation within our modern school system for Latino students in her essay Overcoming Triple Segregation. She examines the Latin American’s struggle for education by pointing out how not only are they segregated racially; but socioeconomically and linguistically. Gándara states that segregation towards Latinos will result small amounts of academic success and fewer citizens entering the workforce. Then the article takes a turn to advocate the use of bilingual classrooms, stating that by assimilating them into our culture, they will be able to become successful future contributing members of society. Gándara states that Latinos are forced to overcome the racial hostility placed before them, a lack

Because of this lack of English education, we fail to assimilate the students to be functioning members of the United States. The way we are able to assimilate students is to create better programs for students who are learning English; that way, when it is time to enter the workforce, they will be able to understand what it takes to move ahead in this country. The article states that “Good bilingual immersion programs provide such an environment by giving English speakers and English learners ample opportunities to interact in and out of the classroom.” Assimilation relies on the need to acquire the social and psychological features of a group. Most Latino students in schools today hold a very small grasp on our language and our social system, which is partly due to the rampant segregation. Because of their little interactions with other social, ethical, and economical groups, they deny themselves to the ability to learn from people of success. As a result, it becomes more difficult for these students to adapt to the world as much as students would if they come from a more privileged school systems. The increase in bilingual programs in schools would also allow the stigma of being a potential Latino immigrant to be alleviated. By assimilating into our culture, immigrant culture will become more accepted throughout America. However, it would be a disrespect to the student

Not only do they struggle with isolated schools separated from wealthier and better equipped White schools, but they must endure with their inadequate facilities and their lack of solid educators and school administrators. Also, due to the segregated nature of their schools, Latinos must meet much hostility when it is time they enter the workforce, as attributed to white student’s equal amount of segregation from Latino students. Another obstacle they have to deal with that is absolutely vital to the amount of success they achieve in tier life is their lack of bilingual programs being taught in this e segregated schools, due to the lack of bilingual educators. Due to the lack of communication occurring between white school systems and Latino schools, students are losing much potential cultural capital that they stand to gain wit the great amount of diversity occurring between these two groups. Though the solution to these problems is implementing assimilation into both White schools and Latinos schools through effective bilingual programs. We should combine the best aspects of Latino culture into our dominant culture while respecting the aspects of both groups, this way we could strengthen ourselves through diversity and