Statistical Base of Study on Latinos

I concur with your editorial of Feb. 4, which referenced the survey of Orange County’s Latino community (“Lack of Skills Shut Out Orange County Latinos”). It isn’t surprising that the least important issue to Latinos is the traffic congestion, which seems to be the greatest dilemma of the rest of our fellow Orange Countians. When we lack the basics for survival on a daily basis, such as educational opportunities, employment, housing and proper health care services; when so many of our families are caught on the never-ending treadmill in a culture of poverty cycle, indeed, traffic congestion is of minor import.

With less than half of the Latinos surveyed having completed high school, that leaves about 50% who didn’t, and 7% of those who never attended high school. What a loss!

The alarming dropout rate among Latinos is estimated at 50% to 75%, depending on who is being surveyed or quoted at the time. Many of these young people actually dropped out mentally and psychologically in the third of fourth grade but continued through the motions of attending because they were forced to be physically in school. Many of our youth have felt unwanted by their teachers and felt ridiculed by their peers. These perceptions, whether real or imagined, had a toll in their decision to drop out. The answer to some of these educational problems is obvious. Bilingual-multicultural education would alleviate or solve some of these problems. The schools could do much to encourage the retention and academic growth of our children by providing an educational environment that supports, nurtures and credits the cultures of our students.

Large numbers of teachers have taken it upon themselves to continue learning Spanish to bridge the communication gaps that exist between schools, students and community. Those teachers who volunteer for bilingual classrooms should be paid higher salaries and not punished by having their bilingual paraprofessionals removed from their classrooms because they are now bilingual. Those teachers should also be given fewer students since they must spend more individual time with monolingual students.

We must take the survey seriously for it points to all the symptoms that affect all Latinos, the county and the country. We can’t continue to operate our educational institutions at such a great deficit--failing 50% of our population. It behooves us to take responsibility for the future of all our citizens.

ENRIQUETA LOPEZ RAMOS

Santa Ana