Mexican-AmericansAmanda Amick, Katie Brazil, Stephanie Kostuck, Erika Richae

Rationales Why do Mexican’s come to America?

Better Job Opportunities Better EducationBetter Health CareDrug ViolenceFamily Ties

Better Job OpportunitiesMexican Immigrants occupational prospects are bleakLack education Most likely become blue-collar workersLimited Urban Job Skills

Better EducationAdult immigrants have only few years of schoolingEducational aspirations and expectationsMexican youth have high aspiration of college.Minimal education offered in U.S.Mexican children do poorly in school-future looks unpromisingMinimal/No knowledge of English

Better Health Care6 in 10 illegal immigrants lack health insuranceIllegal immigrants tend to be younger and healthier than the adult U.S. populationIllegal immigrants are less likely to have health care provider4 in 10 Illegal immigrants go to community clinic or health centerLimitations prevent them from a regular provider

Financial limitations; lack of insurance; don’t need one; high medical costs in general

Drug ViolenceMexican immigrants seek asylum5,400+ people killed last year and 8,000+ in two yearsMajor source of conflict in U.S.-Mexican relationsDrug war claimed nearly 10,000 livesAsylum-seekers has grown in past few yearsWorst violence since the Mexican Revolution (1910)

Family TiesMexican’s are not just immigrants or U.S.-born children of immigrants.These later generation Mexican-Americans’ experience are affected by current immigration It’s tough to be a member of an ethnic group that is synonymous with immigrationSome see this continuous immigration as an opportunity

Assimilation“Immigrant surges”

Replenish vocabulary and cultures

AncestryEthnicity is very importantDeep sense of ancestry

ProximityHomeland shares a border with the U.S.

ResistanceIntermarriageMexican print, electronic media, newspapers, etc.

Education67% U.S. born aspire to complete college60% hope to have a professional or managerial job10-20% will actually finish collegeWhy?

Perceptions of discriminationLack of economic meansAlthough their aspirations are high, other ethnic groups even HIGHER aspirations.

Parent Expectations71% of mothers expect child to attend 2 or more years68% of mothers expect child to complete college1 in 5 surveyed expected their child to receive post graduate training77% talk to their child about school93% talk about their child’s educational future, at least occasionally

Education• On average…

• 90.4% of Non-Hispanic whites graduate with a high school diploma

• 51.9% of Mexican-Americans attain the same degree• 36.6% of FIRST generation receive diploma• 71.3% of SECOND generation receive

diploma• 75.3% of THIRD generation receive diploma

2nd and 3rd Generations• In 2004,

• Median age for Mexican Americans was 25• Median age for Non-Hispanic White’s was 38.

• Affects:• Level of educational attainment• SES increase with age• SES/Educational status will remain low

Reception in the U.S.How Mexican Americans are stereotyped in the United StateHow discrimination plays a role in Mexican Americans livesHow the government, citizens, and educators respond to Mexican Americans

Reception: StereotypesStereotypes “In the case of Mexican Americans, this includes expectations based on historically rooted racial stereotypes and instututional treatments that are more complex than white attitudes and social practices toward African Americans or Asians but are no less consequential.” (Lopez and Stanton-Salazar)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bqzWsmq7mw

Reception: StereotypesSimple minded

Not a people of great intelligence, unable to problem solve or make good decisions .

Manual laborGoing along with simple mindedness, the only work these people can do is physical labor. Not intelligent enough for professional or managerial work.

LazyThese people don’t work hard enough to get the things they want. It is their fault they are in the position they are today

Illegal'sNot real American citizens, border jumpers who don’t belong here

Reception: Discrimination

SpanishDominant

Bilingual English Dominant

There is racial discrimination in America: % agree or strongly agree

88 83 90

Has personally experienced discrimination

67 63 69

There is much conflict between races in America: % agree or strongly agree

87 78 88

Reception: Discrimination

What do these numbers tell us?Across the board Mexican Americans there is racial discrimination in AmericaA large majority of Mexican Americans believe that there is racial conflict in America.

If this is true then why do less report being personally discriminated against?

“by minimizing the discrimination that confronts them, minority members may be able to maintain self esteem and the perception of control over personal outcomes in their lives.” (Ruggiero and Taylor 1997)

Reception: The Government

Due to the increasing numbers of Mexican immigrants, tension ha increased between White Americans and Mexican Americas.

Proposition 187 Save our State Initiative Denied right to anyone who was not a U.S. citizen

The Border Wall2,000 mile fence to keep illegal immigrants out

Reception: Schoolshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0WKUpRY_AIVideo Points

Students in Group A receive little contact with counselors Tracking

Split students into predetermined groups of likelihood of future successMost not fluent Spanish speaking students are put into Group AGroup A has not college preparation courses, only vocational

Reception: CitizensAs stated before with an increase in the amount of Mexican immigrants we have seen an increase in tension between them and White Americans.Citizen Border Patrol

White Americans near border towns flood cross ways for illegal immigrants with their head lights

ScapegoatsBlamed for the loss of higher paying white-blue collar jobs

Family/Community Dynamics

Average size family

Birth Rate

Marriage Statistics

Marriage Rates in different states

Schooling/WorkingFather with some college 15%Mother with some college 11%Upper White collar jobs 2%Lower white collar jobs 10%Low wage service worker 38%Blue collar jobs 50%

Home OwnerOwn a home 43%

In two-parent household 60%

Households of four or less 36%

English Language Learners

It takes an ELL student 5-7 years to reach the same level as English speaking peers.56% of all public school teachers have at least 1 ELL Student, while only 20% are qualified to teach ELL students. Teaching Strategies:

Culturally-Responsive TeachingCooperative LearningInstructional ConservationsCognitively-Guided InstructionTechnology-Enriched Instruction

Poverty Means ChallengesFragile Futures: Risk and Vulnerability Among Latino High

Poverty Means Challenges

High achieving students in low income families face the same difficulties as low achieving students.A study that took place 1996 and 2002 with Mexican High Achieving students.All of the students came from low income families

ContinuedGrouping into four categories15 of the highest achievers were graphed

Category, Number, and Gender

Mean 8th Grade GPA

Mean 12th Grade GPA

Graduated High School

4 Year College

2 Year College

Military or other

I. 8 (4 Female)

3.5 2.87 88% 50% 12.5% 37.5%

II. 7 (4 Female)

3.0 2.82 100% 71% 29% 0%

Student Background6 of 8 families spoke Spanish only or used both English and Spanish.

Many came from single-parent families

Two of the 8 categories had parents go beyond Junior College

The two who excel the most remain close with their biological parents

Background Cont.Students ranked priority levels only 1 student didn’t rank school or family as 1 or 2 priorityAndres was an exceptional student of this group and dealt with same issues as a low achieving studentAspiration of college and being an FBI agentHe tutored Puentes students while still trying to excel in his own academics.

ContinuedEarned a high GPA of 3.74

Earned an SAT score of 1120

He graduated and was a candidate for a highly respected scholarship