Thursday, January 20, 2011

Latino Higher Ed

We all know that in the next several years we will see a demographic change in our country when Latinos become the majority. This will have an impact on our education institutions, but this is where Latino students are meeting a wall.

Recent studies conducted by the Western Interstate Commerce on Higher Education, suggest that there will be a increase of Latino high school graduates nationwide and some states will see anywhere from a one percent to a five percent increase statewide in graduating Latino high school students. Yet, Latinos are less likely to enroll into a higher education institution and face additional risks of dropping out within their first year than any other ethnic group nationwide. There is no one specific reason why Latino students are facing such a crisis.

Some studies have indicated that it is a cultural issue and that the interaction and support systems for Latino adolescents to pursue a higher education meet its first barriers at home within the family unit. Other studies have shattered this type of thinking saying that Latino parents are encouraging their children to pursue and complete some level of higher education.

Whatever the trend happening a home one thing is certain, more Latinos are graduating and enrolling into college than before. Though Latino students may not be enrolling and graduating in the number as other demographics, their population is increasing and colleges, universities and technical school should anticipate a change within the student body with open arms ready for the future.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Politics Can Kill




American politics have brought up issues of much great debate infusing opinion and emotions. A country where you have the right to choice and vote without being persecuted or harassed has now become a paradox with the newest and most shocking act of political violence in Tucson Arizona.

Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Gifford of Arizona was tragically shot in the head by a gunman at one of her open meeting with voters Saturday. Six other individuals including some of Gifford’s staff members, U.S. District Judge John Roll of Ariz. and a nine-year-old girl who attended the open meeting with her aunt died during the attack. Several others were injured but doctors say that none of their injuries are fatal and will see a speedy recovery.

Pima County Sherriff Clarence Dupnik said Gifford was the target of a gunman, Jared Loughner, 22, whom he described as mentally unstable and possibly acting along with an accomplice but who has yet to be identified. The shooting comes shortly after Gifford’s office was vandalized for her support of the Health Care Bill officials say.

Gifford held an open meeting with voters Saturday at a local Tucson grocery store. She tweeted moments before the shooting "Congress on Your Corner" event: "My 1st Congress on Your Corner starts now. Please stop by to let me know what is on your mind or tweet me later." Gifford was a gubernatorial prospect in 2014.

Loughner was described as being a loner who had his own political agenda and dream for an ideal America. Federal officials say that they were able to obtain a video of Loughner describing his political opinions and threats. Law enforcement officials descended on Loughner’s neighborhood where local residents said her kept to himself.

In a state where so much tension has already been created with issues of Health Care reform and Immigration, Arizona has become the epicenter of anger and hatred. .

Soon after the shooting President Obama dispatched the director of the FBI to Tucson and declared the shooting as”a tragedy for Arizona, and a tragedy for our entire country”.

This year threats on political officials have risen three times from the open threats since last year. Yet none of them escaladed the level of violence and terror as this shooting. Some may argue that some political figures have encourage this type of behavior with statements from Sarah Palin in her remarks of how some opposing political figures are now on her “target list”. In an article by the Associated Press quoted Gifford from an interview with MSNBC, "For example, we're on Sarah Palin's targeted list, but the thing is, that the way that she has it depicted has the crosshairs of a gun sight over our district. When people do that, they have to realize that there are consequences to that action.”

Another example of politicians encouraging acts of behavior of their voters to posing sides is by former Rep. Arizona challenger Jesse Kelly who held fundraisers encouraging his supporters to help him remove Gifford from office by joining him in shooting a fully loaded M-16 riffle.

John Ellinwood, Kelly's spokesman said, “I don't see the connection," between the fundraisers featuring weapons and Saturday's shooting. "I don't know this person; we cannot find any records that he was associated with the campaign in any way. I just don't see the connection.

Whatever the connection may be to the increasing political violence against political figures and civilians, it does not excuse the actions that took place at the Tucson grocery store. Our countries political climate has created tension on all sides mixing opinions and emotions that have boiled up to extreme measures of vigilante justice and persuading that caused the life of six individuals one of whom was only nine-years-old.