Clinton Asks Latino Help on Dropout Rates, Affirmative Action

Addressing the national convention of a major Latino rights group via satellite, President Clinton on Friday asked members to help him cut the high dropout rate of Latino students and promised to explore “legal options” to restore state affirmative action programs in California.

“We are looking for specific things that we can do to ensure that higher education does not become segregated, or that the progress we’ve made over the last 20 years is not reversed,” he told about 3,000 members of the League of United Latin American Citizens.

He referred specifically to Proposition 209, the California initiative that abolished government affirmative action programs last year, and an earlier state decision to drop affirmative action considerations in university admissions. Clinton said he has “asked the Domestic Policy Council to coordinate a review by the Justice Department and the Education Department on the impact of Proposition 209. . . .

“I’m not willing to give up on affirmative action in education,” Clinton said. “I’m not about to give up on it.”

Clinton appeared on two large video screens in the Anaheim Convention Center and could hear comments from the crowd but not see them. He spoke for about 15 minutes and then took three questions from LULAC leaders, who earlier had been selected to address the president.

Reaction to his talk was mixed. Many were enthused that Clinton took the time to address the convention, becoming the first sitting president to do so in the organization’s 68-year history. His virtual presence was seen by some as an acknowledgment of the growing political clout of Latinos, who voted in record numbers in the past election.

“He’s recognizing that he has to work with this segment of the population, and I think he’s paving the way for the vice president,” said Zeke Hernandez, president of LULAC’s Santa Ana council.

Hernandez said Vice President Al Gore will likely seek the support of Latino groups for a presidential bid in the year 2000, just as the Rev. Jesse Jackson appeared to court LULAC members during a luncheon speech Thursday.

Other LULAC members said they were disappointed that Clinton offered little concrete action.

“I already knew about the programs he talked about,” said Alejandro Meraz, a Dallas high school senior who is LULAC’s vice president for youth, and who asked Clinton about combating dropout rates. “I was hoping he would talk about a specific program, especially to help tutor high school dropouts. We need to find a way to reach these people.”

Clinton pointed out some achievements for Latinos during his presidency, including record growth of Latino-owned businesses and a drop in the Latino unemployment rate from 11.3% to 7.4%.

But he added, “despite a strong work ethic and a strong sense of personal responsibility, Hispanic Americans are the only racial or ethnic group in America that has experienced a decline in income during our current economic boom. One big reason is the high Hispanic high school dropout rate--it’s far above that of blacks and whites, and it’s holding young Hispanics back.”

Clinton then touted some of his initiatives. His budget, for example, includes a 27% funding increase for bilingual education. And through his “America Reads” project, Clinton said, he hopes teachers and volunteer tutors will help teach every third-grader to read.

LULAC has been part of a presidential commission studying education for the last year, and a representative from the organization will meet with a Department of Education official Wednesday, said LULAC President Belen Robles, who met with Clinton in Los Angeles on Monday.

“The most important thing is that he kept the door open for us to remain in contact,” she said. “It’s a partnership.”