Did you know that the nation’s first successful school desegregation case centered on a Mexican-American fifth-grader? Or that a 9-year-old Latina helped pave the way for the end of school segregation in the United States?
Latinos have long been at the forefront of the battle to improve education outcomes for all Americans. But unlike many of the struggles of the African-American civil rights movement, these efforts are largely unknown to most people today. In fact, as far back as the 1930s, Latinos have been organizing and mounting legal challenges to what they considered unjust education policies.
In cases dealing with everything from the “separate but equal” doctrine to bilingual education to college access, the Latino community has a rich legacy of parents fighting for better schools, better communities, and better futures for their children.
Here’s a look at six key cases where Latinos helped shape education policy.
Roberto Alvarez v. Lemon Grove School District (California, 1931)
Lemon Grove was a small district outside San Diego, where Mexican-American and white students attended school together. One day, the principal blocked the door and turned away the Mexican-American kids. He told them that henceforth they would be studying in a rundown building the kids called la caballeriza (“the stable”).
Although the district maintained that this was necessary because the Mexican-American students couldn’t speak English and had assimilation issues, it was really more of a reflection of the anti-immigrant sentiments of the Depression era. In fact, many of the Mexican-American children had been born and raised in California.
So the Lemon Grove parents banded together and sued the district. Their plaintiff was Roberto Alvarez, age 12, chosen because of his fair appearance, excellent grades, and perfect English.
A California Superior Court judge ruled that segregating the Mexican-American students infringed on the laws of the state, and soon all the kids were back attending school together.
While it attracted little notice at the time, the Lemon Grove parents had won the first successful school desegregation case in American history.
Roberto Alvarez Jr., now professor emeritus at the University of California San Diego, only learned about the case when he was doing research as a graduate student at Stanford. “My dad, and his parents, were really humble about it,” he told NBC News. “People in the family called it, ‘that court thing;’ to them it was something that came and went. Later, we called it the ‘Lemon Grove Incident.’”
“My dad was very old-school; I don’t think he realized the broader significance and impact of what he had done,” Alvarez said.
One thing is certain: The senior Alvarez made the most of his education. When he passed away at age 84 in 2003, the Los Angeles Times described him as a successful businessman “who made millions.”
Mendez v. Westminster School District (California, 1946)
Sylvia Mendez was nine years old when her parents took her to register for school in Orange County, California. Instead they were turned away, and told to go to the “Mexican school,” even though her family spoke more English than Spanish.
Mendez’ father recruited other families for a class action lawsuit and they sued the district over the policy of “separate but equal” schools for Mexican-Americans and white students. Mendez’ lawyer argued that segregating Mexican-American students led to feelings of inferiority among them, and a federal judge agreed. The ruling was upheld on appeal, and later California’s Governor Earl Warren decided to end segregation in all of the state’s public schools.
“We have to reframe history so people see how committed Latinos parents are to their youth. We are not powerless.”- policy expert Deborah Santiago
Mendez returned to school – but she had changed history. One of the lawyers who submitted a brief in support of her case was Thurgood Marshall, who used the legal framework from Mendez to argue Brown v. Board of Education at the Supreme Court in 1954.
By then, the Chief Justice was Earl Warren, who sided with Marshall and wrote the majority opinion ending segregation in public schools. So the Mendez case can be seen as a roadmap for Brown; it laid the legal groundwork for one of the significant court decisions in American history.
Sylvia Mendez, now retired from a 33-year career in nursing, recalled how the case impacted her personally. “When I went back to school, I felt pressure to do well, because my parents had fought for me to be there,” she told NBC News. “They taught me that, no matter what, you have to persevere.”
Mendez received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. “I cried when President Obama put it around my neck, thinking of my parents,” she said. “I felt like they were finally getting the recognition they deserved. I am just like the messenger, telling the story; they really did all the work.”
Aspira v. Board of Education of the City of New York (New York, 1972)
Aspira, a community organization, sued New York City’s Board of Education over the right of students with limited English proficiency to receive bilingual education. Aspira charged that the New York City schools were denying educational opportunities to Puerto Rican students with little or no English-language ability.
Backed by the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, Aspira won a settlement from the city guaranteeing bilingual education for all New York City public school students. This case was important because it was settled in the largest school district in the country, and it led to bilingual education being introduced in other districts as well.
“The Aspira case has since benefited Asian-Americans, African-Americans, refugees, people of all backgrounds. And the bigger picture is that it was Latinos, in this case Puerto Ricans, who took leadership in moving the issue forward,” said Deborah Santiago, Chief Operating Officer for Excelencia in Education. “We have to reframe history so people see how committed Latinos parents are to their youth. We are not powerless.”
Santiago believes that the perception that Latinos do not value education must be challenged. “We can see from history that this is not true,” she noted. “In case after case, Latinos are fighting for rights that benefit everyone, so that everyone can get the equity and support that Latino parents felt their children deserved.”
“We are not just fighting for our own rights,” Santiago said. “Latinos are advocating in ways that put their own name and experience on the line so that other families can benefit.”
Serna v. Portales Municipal School District (New Mexico, 1974)
When Judy Serna was ready for first grade, her mother took her to enroll in school. The school refused to admit her, however, because they said she couldn’t speak English. Serna’s mother and other parents joined a lawsuit against the school district.
In court, they pointed out that minority children made up over half of the students in New Mexico’s public schools, and charged that the district’s failure to provide them with a bilingual education was a violation of the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Both a federal court and a circuit court found in favor of Serna, and the district was ordered to come up with programs that could meet the needs of all students.
RELATED: Public Schools Becoming More Racially Segregated: Report
The Serna case helped make education equal for Latinos and Spanish-surnamed students across New Mexico, and strengthened the right of English-language learners to an education tailored to their needs.
Looking back, Judy Serna recalled her memories of the case for NBC News. “It wasn’t even true that I didn’t speak English. As a kid, I was comfortable in Spanish because I spent a lot of time with my grandparents, but mostly I was just shy,” she remembered. “What is amazing to me is that my mother, a single mom, would take on the school district and actually win.”
RELATED: Color Barrier: Segregation Images Resonate 60 Years On
Serna missed out on a year of school while the case was being resolved, but she says it was worth it. “I am proud of what my mom achieved,” she said. “She made things better for other students, and it also led to the hiring of bilingual teachers. So because of her, more Latino teachers were hired.”
And ironically, Serna knows more than ever about the value of being fully bilingual. “All my life,” she reflected, “speaking Spanish has helped me get jobs.”
Plyler v. Doe (Texas, 1982)
In the 1970s, Texas passed a law that stripped funding from school districts that educated undocumented children, and authorized school districts to charge tuition to the parents of those children. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) filed suit on behalf of a group of these children to have the law invalidated.
The case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which in 1982 struck down the Texas law. “If the state is to deny a discrete group of innocent children the free public education that it offers to other children residing within its borders, that denial must be justified by a showing that it furthers some substantial state interest,” wrote Justice William Brennan in the majority opinion. “No such showing was made here.”
The idea of public education for all children may seem like a non-issue now, yet it was far from settled before Plyler. When the case was initially heard in Texas, the undocumented children involved took all of their belongings with them in suitcases to the courthouse – because they had been told that they would be deported immediately if their side lost.
Since then, Plyler’s doctrine has been used to strike down or weaken other discriminatory measures, like California’s Proposition 187.
Thomas A. Saenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF, said he is not surprised that cases like Plyler are not better known.
“The narrative of civil rights in this country has been largely framed through a Black/white/Southern U.S. paradigm,” said Saenz. “Not as much attention has been paid to the discrimination against Latinos in the Southwest and West.”
Part of the challenge for Latino civil rights advocates, he said, is adapting laws that were developed in a Black/White construct to protect Latino communities. Civil rights laws were typically written to end racial discrimination, while Latinos can face discrimination based on language ability, accents, or immigration status.
Cases like Plyler, Saenz said, stem from efforts by politicians to exploit fear among certain Americans of the growth of the Hispanic population. School policy is a natural place to attempt to exploit such a fear, he noted, because that is where the demographic trends are most visible.
“But if you read Plyler, it still holds up,” he said. “The justices split 5-4, but all nine justices believed it was bad policy to exclude undocumented children from our public schools.”
LULAC v. Richards (Texas, 1987)
At the time of this lawsuit, 20 percent of Texas residents lived in the state’s border areas, but only 10 percent of state funding for public universities went there. “People complained that they couldn’t go to a good school near where they lived,” said Albert Kauffman of St. Mary’s University School of Law, one of the attorneys for MALDEF in the case. “People were saying, why are our universities second-rate?”
The suit alleged that Texas did not provide equal higher education opportunities in predominantly Hispanic border cities like El Paso and Laredo, compared to cities in the state’s interior. At the trial, the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) showed that, on average, students in the border areas travelled 225 miles to attend a comprehensive university – one with doctoral programs and professional schools – while those in the rest of Texas traveled 45 miles.
“It was the result of both neglect and discrimination, and because folks in the border areas did not have political clout,” Kauffman said. “People in the capital said that these students were ‘not ready,’ or they only needed access to a Bachelors Degree and that was enough.”
RELATED: 2016 Latino State of the Union: What Affects Latinos Today
The trial court ruled in favor of LULAC, and the South Texas/Border Initiative was created to improve funding in the region. By the time this decision was overturned in 1993, the Initiative had already become a catalyst for more state money, new degree programs, and new campuses in the border areas. The El Paso Times has noted that the lawsuit changed the trajectory of the University of Texas El Paso, whose student body is 80 percent Hispanic.
“It took a lawsuit to break up the old system and give people in that region a chance,” Kauffman said. “It also took political leaders coming together and putting aside differences, and coming up with a plan. If it hadn’t been for that, there would not be the opportunities we have now. Because of that, there is a much better higher education system throughout the border area.”
FAQs
Why is education important to the Hispanic community? ›
Among the key findings: Hispanics say a college education is important for getting ahead in life: Nearly nine-in-ten (88%) Hispanics agree that a college degree is important for getting ahead in life, greater than the share (74%) of the general public that says the same (Pew Social & Demographic Trends, 2009).
How do Latinos contribute to society? ›With earnings of more than $1 trillion each year and tax contributions of more than $252 billion, Hispanics not only add significant value to the U.S. economy but they also support and help fund social services and infrastructure that ultimately benefit all Americans.
Who was the most influential Latino activist? ›Dolores Huerta
We cannot mention Cesar Chavez, without also naming Dolores Huerta as one of the most influential Hispanic Americans. Born in New Mexico in 1930, Dolores would go on to become a leading civil rights activist.
- Employment. Latinos face harassment at work, according to the report, including wage theft and sometimes the threat of deportation. ...
- Housing. Segregation may not be a sanctioned policy anymore but it's very much alive. ...
- Education. ...
- Health. ...
- Criminal Justice. ...
- Voting Rights.
The likelihood that Hispanics and whites will attend a four-year college increases by about 30 percentage points when academic preparation is taken into account. Hispanics from Spanish-speaking families are nearly as likely as blacks to attend four-year colleges when they have high levels of academic preparation.
What barriers did Latinos face in education? ›Issues of poverty, lack of academic support resources, the amount of time in the U.S., and racial discrimination play large roles in preventing Hispanic children from developing their academic skills successfully.
How has Latino culture influenced America? ›Latinos continue to contribute to American culture as musicians, small business owners, chefs, veterans and many other professions. The sounds of Latin music have permeated U.S. airwaves and influenced American artists.
How do Latinos impact the U.S. economy? ›Latino Economic Contributions
Latino households earned more than $1.2 trillion, according to recent data. “This allowed them to pay $308.5 billion in taxes, including $196.5 billion in federal income taxes, as well as more than $112 billion in state and local taxes,” reported New American Economy.
Hispanic families instill in their children the importance of honor, good manners, and respect for authority and the elderly. Preserving the Spanish language within the family is a common practice in most Hispanic homes. Spanish speakers tend toward formality in their treatment of one another.
Who is the most famous Latina? ›- Ellen Ochoa. On April 8, 1993, Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman in the world to go into space. ...
- Joan Baez. ...
- Dolores Huerta. ...
- Selena. ...
- Sylvia Rivera. ...
- Ana Mendieta. ...
- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. ...
- Julia de Burgos.
What is the Hispanic culture known for? ›
Hispanic culture is known for close ties with families, as well as rich culinary, musical, religious, and holiday traditions that are passed down among families.
Why do less Hispanics go to college? ›Compared to their white peers, Hispanic students are less likely to attend preschool, and more likely to attend low-performing public primary and secondary schools with inexperienced teachers and high leadership turnover. A weak academic foundation limits many Hispanics' options for college.
What was one reason that the Hispanic community made gains in achieving civil rights? ›What was one reason that the Hispanic community made gains in achieving civil rights? Gays and lesbians, American Indians, and Hispanics all organized to advocate for their civil rights during the 1960s. What inspired them? Who was Cesar Chavez?
What Latino Means? ›In general, "Latino" is understood as shorthand for the Spanish word latinoamericano (or the Portuguese latino-americano) and refers to (almost) anyone born in or with ancestors from Latin America and living in the U.S., including Brazilians.
How do Latinos view education? ›Latino parents believe it is their responsibility to educate their children for life, not just for school. Within the Latino community there is a collective sense of responsibility among families for one another's children, which is inherent to the culture.
How can I help Hispanic students succeed? ›Set high expectations for language-minority students. Educators can, for example, enable students to exit ESL programs quickly, offer bilingual advanced and honors courses, ask colleges to send Hispanic recruiters, and invite Hispanic graduates to return to school to encourage their peers.
How do Latino students engage? ›- Understand your specific student population. ...
- Improve diversity and equity among your faculty. ...
- Listen to your students. ...
- Focus on wraparound services. ...
- Look beyond college completion.
Thirty-six percent of Latinos aged 18–24 enrolled in college in 2020, decreasing the enrollment gap between Latino students and Whites to 5 percentage points, compared to a gap of 11 percentage points in 2010.
Can you be Hispanic and not Latino? ›Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably though they actually mean two different things. Hispanic refers to people who speak Spanish or are descended from Spanish-speaking populations, while Latino refers to people who are from or descended from people from Latin America.
What does it mean to be Latino in America today? ›Latin America. Hispanic Americans, also called Latinos, feminine Latinas, and Latinxs, people living in the United States who are descendants of Spanish-speaking peoples. Since most Hispanics trace their ancestry to Latin America, they are also often called Latinos.
What are some examples of Mexican influence in the United States today? ›
Today, certain Latin customs have been taken by Americans, such as breaking a piñata in children's birthdays and celebrating Cinco de Mayo, a traditionally Mexican date that today unites Hispanics and non-Hispanics in a “national celebration” among cities like Miami, Los Angeles or New York.
How much do Latinos make? ›The median wage for foreign-born Hispanics is $31,700 compared to $38,848 for those born in the U.S. For non-Latino white workers, the number goes up to $52,942. Hispanics spend 71 percent of their incomes on housing, health care, banking, broadband, food and consumer goods.
What do you see as some of the most important Hispanic contributions to the United States? ›It is clear that the most notable contribution of Latinos to the culture of the United States has been the penetration of the Spanish language. Today, Spanish is spoken in 41 million homes in the country, and so it has positioned itself as the second most studied language in educational institutions, surpassing French.
How many Latinos are in the United States? ›The Hispanic or Latino population, which includes people of any race, was 62.1 million in 2020. The Hispanic or Latino population grew 23%, while the population that was not of Hispanic or Latino origin grew 4.3% since 2010.
What are cultural beliefs practices? ›Cultural beliefs are beliefs that are learned and shared across groups of people. Because the amount of information in a culture is too large for any one individual to master, individuals know different subsets of the cultural knowledge and thus can vary in their cultural competence.
What characteristics do Latinos have? ›Hispanic Americans are open-minded and adventurous. Their lived experience adapting to cultures and their optimistic attitude culminate in a desire to insert themselves into the mainstream. They want to both understand and contribute to the current moment.
Why is family important to Latino culture? ›The family unit is the single most important unit in the Latino culture. It influences the perception and behavior of its members as to how they see the outside world. Latinas/os see themselves as representing their family in outside contacts. (Implicit control by the family.)
Who is the best looking Latina? ›- Jennifer Lopez. Jennifer Lopez is a multi-talented woman and one of the sexiest Latina women. ...
- Sofia Vergara. Boasting some of the most famous curves in Hollywood, Colombian-born Sofia Vergara is one of the sexiest Latina women. ...
- Salma Hayek. ...
- Eva Longoria. ...
- Selena Gomez. ...
- Eiza Gonzalez. ...
- Alessandra Ambrosio. ...
- Shakira.
OMB defines "Hispanic or Latino" as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.
What are some important accomplishments done by Hispanics? ›- Early Spanish Explorers Reach America.
- Los Angeles Founded, First Hispanic Congressman Elected.
- Battle of the Alamo, Mexican-American War.
- Mexico Revolution Drives Immigration to US.
- Puerto Ricans Granted US Citizenship.
- First Hispanic Senator Sworn in.
- Contributions During World War II.
Who is the most famous Latina singer? ›
1. Shakira. Shakira is one of the most popular Hispanic singers worldwide.
Who are Hispanic heroes? ›- 1.) Jovita Idár (1885 – 1946)
- 2.) José Andrés (1969 – )
- 3.) Sylvia Rivera (1951 – 2002)
- 4.) Octaviano Larrazola (1859 – 1930)
- 5.) Sylvia Mendez (1936 – )
- 6.) Joan Baez (1941 – )
- 7.) Julia Constanza Burgos Garcia (1914 – 1953)
- 8.)
Latinos as a group are religiously observant. Compared with the general public, they are more likely to claim a religious affiliation and to attend religious services more frequently. However, they are about equally as likely to say religion is important in their lives.
What is considered most respectful in Mexican culture? ›Show heightened respect to those that are noticeably older than yourself. Give way to them in public, and allow them to be served first or take your seat if all are full. Do not toss someone an object to pass it to them. Hand it to them directly and respectfully.
Is education important in Hispanic culture? ›The issue of education is an important one for Hispanics. Roughly eight-in-ten (83%) cited education as very important to their vote in the 2016 election, ranking it alongside the economy, health care and terrorism as a top issue. Yet, for many Hispanics, economic factors remain an obstacle to college enrollment.
What are some challenges facing the Hispanic communities in the US? ›- Employment. Latinos face harassment at work, according to the report, including wage theft and sometimes the threat of deportation. ...
- Housing. Segregation may not be a sanctioned policy anymore but it's very much alive. ...
- Education. ...
- Health. ...
- Criminal Justice. ...
- Voting Rights.
According to Excelencia in Education, a total of 72% of all Latinos ages 25 and over have a high school diploma.
What are the six major provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? ›What Did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 Do? Broadly speaking, it prohibited discrimination and segregation on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, and sex in voting, workplaces, places of education, housing, and public accommodations.
What were the 4 components of the Chicano movement? ›The "movement" or movimiento was really a convergence of multiple movements that historians have broken down into at least four components: A youth movement represented in the struggle against discrimination in schools and the anti-war movement; the farmworkers movement; the movement for political empowerment, most ...
What strategies were used by Latinos in their struggle for civil rights? ›The way that this is exposed by through nonviolent actions such as peaceful protests, civil disobedience, strikes, sit-ins, economic boycotts, political noncooperation, among others.
Is it OK to say Hispanic? ›
When talking about people of Latin American descent in the U.S. you can generally use Latino (or Latina for a woman). Hispanic is also correct if you are talking to someone who speaks Spanish. But if you value your life, never ever say a Brazilian is a Hispanic. Brazilians get deeply offended and rightfully so.
When was Latino first used? ›The Oxford English Dictionary traces its usage to 1946. Juan Francisco Martinez writes that Latino has its origins in the French term Amérique latine, coined in the mid-19th century to identify areas of the Americas colonized by Romance-speaking people and used to justify French intervention in Latin American affairs.
Why is education important? ›Education develops critical thinking. This is vital in teaching a person how to use logic when making decisions and interacting with people (e.g., boosting creativity, enhancing time management). Education helps an individual meet basic job qualifications and makes them more likely to secure better jobs.
Do Latino families value education? ›Research has demonstrated that Latino families value education and work in diverse forms to contribute to their children's success.
Why Hispanic students are falling behind? ›Hispanic students have a higher rate of academic failure due to high absence rate, language barriers, and lack of parent education. According to demographics, Hispanics are not placed into higher paying positions.
What percentage of Latinos go to college? ›Thirty-six percent of Latinos aged 18–24 enrolled in college in 2020, decreasing the enrollment gap between Latino students and Whites to 5 percentage points, compared to a gap of 11 percentage points in 2010.
Why is education important 10 lines? ›Ten Lines on Education in English
1) Education is the process which aids learning, acquiring knowledge and skills to one's character. 2) Education upgrades the thinking of society and helps to uproot social evils. 3) It helps the uniform development of a country by fighting the inequalities of society.
It helps people become better citizens, get a better-paid job, shows the difference between good and bad. Education shows us the importance of hard work and, at the same time, helps us grow and develop. Thus, we are able to shape a better society to live in by knowing and respecting rights, laws, and regulations.
Can you be Hispanic and not Latino? ›Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably though they actually mean two different things. Hispanic refers to people who speak Spanish or are descended from Spanish-speaking populations, while Latino refers to people who are from or descended from people from Latin America.
Is Hispanic a cultural group? ›Hispanics in the United States includes any person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. Latinos are people of Latin-American descent (Webster's 3rd Inter- national Dictionary, 2002).
Why are Hispanic and African American dropout rates so high? ›
We show that poverty is a key contributor. Lack of English proficiency among Hispanic student is linked to the higher Hispanic dropout probability. Our results also suggest that neighborhood characteristics may be important in explaining the high African- American dropout rates.
Why do Latinos drop out of college? ›The increase in Hispanic dropouts is not fully understood; however, research has shown that factors such as the parent's education, involvement, low expectations, school attitude, limited English skills, limited school funding, and cultural differences contribute to Hispanic dropout.
Who is the most famous Latina? ›- Ellen Ochoa. On April 8, 1993, Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman in the world to go into space. ...
- Joan Baez. ...
- Dolores Huerta. ...
- Selena. ...
- Sylvia Rivera. ...
- Ana Mendieta. ...
- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. ...
- Julia de Burgos.
Upworthy: Black women are now America's most educated group. The number of postsecondary certificates below the baccalaureate level awarded to Hispanic students more than doubled (a 146 percent increase, from 78,500 to 193,000) between academic years 2000–01 and 2015–16.