https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ox8xFpm6pxC5I8zWei2R3aw56rV_lsCSZyeGhMF_U1o/edit?usp=sharing

Daniela Prieto

Professor Wheeler

Writing and Rhetoric

Due Date: 4/8/20

Why are Many Latinos Getting an Education?

In today’s society, many employers require a college degree to work in a higher paying job, which is why many Latino families want their kids to strive and focus on their education to be successful. Some Latinos have migrated to America in order to give their children a better education because their educational system in their country was not as beneficial. In at least one country besides the U.S., Ecuador, has improved their educational systems and many families are able to send more of their children to school. Over the years, many more Latinos in the U.S and in Ecuador have been going to college, and that number is continuing to increase because more families are sending their kids to college. Many Latino families believe college is the first step to getting more opportunities in life.

Many families migrate from their countries to the U.S. for a better life and so that their kids can be successful. It can be hard for new families who are adjusting to new communities. Professors studying multicultural education researched the experiences migrating families had  “when both the language and culture are largely unknown, and economic resources are severely limited or non-existent”(Rodriguez-Valls). Families send their kids to school so that they are exposed to this new culture and because children can learn the language. Learning a new language helps the child be more involved but also become accustomed to the culture.

Many Latino parents expect their children to take care of them when they get older, so they want their kids to find good jobs. Another professional who studied at Harvard found that the children of immigrants often do well because of their parents’ expectations. This researcher stated: “Immigrant parents tend to be more optimistic about their children’s prospects and provide more encouragement and hold higher expectations for their children”(Scott). Most of these families could be coming from areas where the education system was corrupt, and they thought going to the United States would be the best for their kids. They came to the United States with the expectations set so that their kids could have a lot more than what they had as children themselves.

In the United States, Latino parents are sending their children to get a higher education so that they have a better life. There have been a lot more Latino students who are going to college and completing all their requirements rather than leaving their education because of financial problems. A reporter from PBS News Hour reported that  “Hispanic undergraduate enrollment more than doubled, to 3 million. More than a quarter of young Hispanics — 28 percent — now have at least an associate degree, up from 15 percent in 2000”(Field). Based on these statistics, there are a lot more Latinos in the United States going to college compared to two decades ago. Many more minorities are getting opportunities to get an education and there are a lot of programs that support students financially. There is prosperity in the Latino communities because Latino families who get an education are able to have money and provide for their families. As children strive for higher education, families can provide more for each other. Getting higher education is important to make more money in the long term.

In a country like Ecuador, many families are sending their kids to colleges in the city because there are more opportunities given to students. Many cities are able to provide more programs for students who need help, and it is the area where many jobs can be found. The education system has changed in cities, and they are providing more opportunities for students who want to learn. Most of the students start with nothing, and they work very hard to be successful. A student explaining her experience in Ecuador wrote for the Student Journals in the NYTimes that, “Now, many families appreciate the fact that their kids are educated because it means they can apply their new knowledge to improving the community more progressively”(S.,Rebecca). Children who are receiving more education can help their families with new knowledge because they can use it for careers. With more careers and bright minds, people can open up more businesses and they can help the economy grow, as well as the community.

The problem arises when the Latino families cannot provide for their kids’ education in the United States because education costs a lot. It becomes more financially problematic when there is a pandemic happening world-wide and it could potentially stall the economy, making it difficult for children to continue their studies. Most parents also have a lot of expectations for their kids to get a  degree and find a worthy job. A writer for the NYTimes article, wrote about the educational problem that many Latinos face because of financial status. The NYTimes writer states “The dramatic split promises to further deepen the typical academic achievement gaps between poor, middle-class and wealthy students”(Goldstein). Latino parents who are not financially stable or able to provide for their children to get an education are a problem within the minority group because the child cannot continue with their studies and then they have a hard time being able to get a well-paying job in the United States. Even though many Latino parents do not have enough income to continue sending their kids to college, there are multiple programs that are helping these families so that their kids can continue learning and be successful.

In conclusion, children of Latino families are going to college because there are more opportunities provided by cities in the U.S. and in Ecuador to help low-income families to continue to learn. Many Latino parents want their children to take advantage of these opportunities because they understand that life can be difficult when there is not enough money to provide for the family. This increase of Latinos going to school has also helped the community because they learn from a new culture and they become part of a community where they can grow. Success is being able to care for yourself and give back to those who helped you get there. Like a chain reaction, many Latino parents want their children to take care of them, the same way they took care of their children. And the first step to success is by getting an education that allows for a better job that pays well.

Works Cited

Field, Kelly. “More Hispanics Are Going to College and Graduating, but Disparity Persists.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 14 May 2018, www.pbs.org/newshour/education/more-hispanics-are-going-to-college-and-graduating-but-disparity-persists.

Goldstein, Dana, et al. “As School Moves Online, Many Students Stay Logged Out.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 6 Apr. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/04/06/us/coronavirus-schools-attendance-absent.html.

Marie C. Scott. “Resegregation, Language, and Educational Opportunity: The Influx of Latino Students Into North Carolina Public Schools.” Harvard Latino Law Review, vol. 11, Apr. 2008, pp. 123–321. https://suny-new.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01SUNY_NEW/f51bec/lexisnexis_lawreviews11HarvLatinoLRev123.

S., Rebecca. “Chilcapamba, Ecuador: A Changing Education System.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/times-journeys/students/on-the-road/chilcapamba-ecuador-a-changing-education-system/.

Rodriguez-Valls, Fernando, and Celina Torres. “Empowering Migrant Families to Support Their Children’s Success.” Multicultural Education, vol. 21, no. 2-3, 2014, p. 34. Gale General OneFile, https://link-gale-com.libdatabase.newpaltz.edu/apps/doc/A390562336/ITOF?u=nysl_se_sojotru&sid=ITOF&xid=d1fb9724. Accessed 7 Apr. 2020.