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Ivan Valladarez

Professor Batty

English 101

9 October 2019

Latinx Students and Their Struggle with Education

Although people would say that Latinx students have enough of a chance to receive an

education just like everyone else, it could be argued that Latinx students struggle with many

things that can prevent them from receiving such an education. Language barriers can prevent

Latinx students from understanding the material being taught in school. In addition to that,

financial struggles add worries towards pursuing their career. With cultural barriers that pertain

to Latinx students it’s not a surprise that these students have a difficult time asking for help.

When there are many barriers that Latinx students have to overcome, it is harder for them to

receive a proper education.

Although there is evidence of this being a serious issue that many Latinx students suffer

through there are people that would disagree. People would say that these student have all the

opportunities to thrive in school. They would mention that schools provide help if any student is

having trouble. Furthermore they could say that it’s the students responsibility to get and ask for

any help they need. As well as they might not care since it’s not affecting their child nor can their

child really relate to the issue. I don't agree with the opposing view point since there aren't many

educational programs that can help Latinx students deal with these issues and this is something

that needs to be brought attention too.

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Latinx students that struggle with language have a number of problems that they face

every day that prevents them from their education, like a language barrier. Language is

something that most Latinx students struggle with. With a language barrier, students are hesitant

to participate in class which affects their academic performance. Latinx students that don’t really

understand what the teacher is saying would have to work twice as hard just to fully grasp which

ever topic or material the professor is going over. Furthermore, in the case of exams, essays, etc.

these students will struggle with fully explaining what they’re trying to say in during these tasks.

They would repeat the words that they do know and try to integrate the words that they do know

a number of times. This is something that has affected Latinx students for years and even with

programs made to help students it's still not enough and some programs don't help at all stated in

an article called “Latino English language learners: Bridging Achievement and Cultural Gaps

between schools and families,” by Good Mary Ellen, she states, “although the no child left

behind act mandates grade level proficiency for 100% of all students subgroups by the year 2014

some argue that this is not attainable without resources, capacity and will. This goal is especially

challenging for Hispanic students who are also English language learners nationwide, their

academic performance consistently falls far below that of other students.” It’s not only the

English subject, this could fall on all categories. Learning math in a different language could

make it even more difficult than it already is and to the professor or teachers perspective they

might take it as being unintelligent. A language barrier as well will affect their ability to

communicate with their classmates. If they are unable to communicate with their classmates they

can’t have conversations with their classmates to talk about what they missed or to discuss the

lecture.
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Latinx students that struggle with financial instabilities suffer through a number of ways.

One way they struggle is the area they live in since most immigrant parents don’t have stable

jobs they’re forced to live in areas that some might consider not the best. Due to living in some

“ghetto” areas Latinx students are forced to go to and from school passing an unsafe area. Since

these areas are very underrepresented the schools surrounding these areas don’t receive much

funding not only affecting students but even faculty to not being fully invested in teaching and

the students aren’t invested to learn preventing them from receiving a proper education. Along

with financial issues most Latinx students feel like they have family obligations and most

students get jobs to help out their family. In the article “Achieving Educational equity: beyond

Individual Measures of Merit” by Auda Hurtado, he mentions how different a Latino student life

is different compared to other students, “Latino students have very different college experiences

than white students because of ‘delayed enrollment in college, greater financial responsibility for

family members and living with family while in college rather than in campus housing’ All these

factors are largely determined by social class and financial resources.” In the case of Latinx

students with jobs when they apply for Fasfa they’ll get even less money because the financial

aid will take their parents taxes and the working students taxes and subtract it from the amount

the schooling will cost giving only the bare minimum the student will need. Even though they

have jobs the money they’ll earn will go to their families and not their education.

Cultural barriers in the Latinx community affects the Latinx students from receiving a

proper education. A cultural barrier that they face is not speaking about their problems. This is a

stereotype that mostly affects males but it does affect females as well. Latinx students are raised

on a certain way of life that are not good habits like not expressing their struggles and this affects
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them with their education because they were raised to see asking for help as a bad thing. So

when they don’t fully understand something they won’t ask for help.

Similarly another cultural barrier that seems to be a lack of communication about sexual

health. Latinx families have a stigma about talking about things that might make them feel

uncomfortable, like talking about sexual health, Latinx families have difficulty talking to their

child about sex and how to take precautions to prevent pregnancy so most families don’t and

that's why some Latinx women were getting pregnant before they could graduate high school.

After they had the baby some Latinx students didn’t pursue their education and instead started

working to provide for their child. Although an argument could be said that it's the students

responsibility to ask for help when they need or that there are programs that advertise safe sex

and if the students don’t utilize those programs it's their own fault. And I would agree yes there

are a number of thing that can promote this to these students but shouldn't only rely on the

student. The schools should take action into this situation and mention these programs into the

classes.

I believe that school mandated programs were teachers become more aware of situation

their Latinx students go through at home would resolve these issues. I feel that in class

translators would be helpful for students that don’t speak English so that they can learn at the

same time as the other students. I suggest that schools provide programs for parents were they

talk about good habits for their children to learn as well as a program were students are taught

about proper sexual health to prevent early pregnancy.

Latinx students have been struggling with these barriers for years. They struggle to learn

the language they are being taught which affects their learning process. They suffer financially

because their families at times cannot fully provide for them. A lot of students worry about how
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to pay for their education. They also struggle with cultural barriers that cause them to develop

unhealthy habits, preventing them from asking for help at school. High schools that don’t discuss

sexual health and contraceptives, add to early pregnancy where students can get side tracked

from their educational careers.

Work cited

Good, MaryEllen, et al. “Latino English language learners: Bridging Achievement and

Cultural Gaps Between Schools and Families.” Journal of Latinos & Education, vol 9, no.4

Oct.2010,pp.321-339. EBSCOhost,

Hurado, Aida, and Creig Haney. “Achieving Educational Equity: Beyond Individual

Measures of Merit.” Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy. Vol 17, July 2005, pp. 87-93

EBSCOhost

,search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=18925547&site=ehost-live.