Another Sad Commentary On Becoming Americanized

Dr. June Gordon found that as a general rule, the longer Hispanics are in the U.S. the less respect they have for education.

It seems that even though Hispanics, especially new immigrants, hold teachers and education in high esteem, but the longer they are in the U. S. and start to be infiltrated with American values, the less respect both Hispanic parents and students have.

It's important to understand that the lack of respect for education and teaching as a profession is an American phenomenon. Therefore, in an immigrant's desire to adapt to the American life they adopt the attitudes and values of the mainstream which translates into the fact that the more they become like the dominant culture the less respect they have for education and teachers. In other words, they are reflecting back the American mainstream's attitude.

Again as Pogo would say, "We have met the enemy...and he is us."

The Danger of Becoming Americanized

It is a sad commentary that the more "Americanized" Hispanic immigrants become, the more problems they experience. For example, a new study by Robert Sampson from Harvard that was recently released reveals that first-generation immigrants are more likely to be law-abiding than third-generation Americans of similar socioeconomic status.


Sampson mentions the phenomenon sociologists call the "Latino paradox" which is that even though Hispanic immigrants come into this country with low resources and high poverty which are related to a high propensity for violence do better on a range of social indicators than either Blacks or Whites.


In fact, Sampson was surprised to discover that a person's immigrant status emerged as a stronger indicator of a dispropensity to violence than any other factor, including poverty, ethnic background, and IQ. First-generation immigrants are 45 percent less likely to commit violence than third-generation immigrants, and second-generation immigrants are about 22 percent less likely to do so than the third-generation. Mexican-Americans were the least violent among those studied.


Another important finding of the study was that neighborhoods matter. Sampson said, "Kids living in neighborhoods with a high concentration of first-generation immigrants have lower rates of violence" going on to say, "even if they aren't immigrants themselves."


This data from Sampson that indicate that as immigration increases, "the culture of violence is diluted," should remind all of us that immigration is not our country's #1 enemy. Once again we're reminded of Walter Kelly's Pogo who tells us, "We have met the enemy...and he is us."

Spiritual Leaders Understand "Belonging"

We, as human beings, have a longing to belong. Feeling that we belong provides comfort and security as well as conveying that our lives have meaning and value. This helps explain why people, especially our young people, go to such lengths to belong---even if that means joining a gang. And then we see the disastrous results that can occur when one doesn't feel that he/she belongs anywhere--suicides, eating disorders, drug abuse, killing sprees, unwed teen mothers, etc.

It is crucial that we do all we can to help our diverse students feel a sense of belonging in our schools. With all the hype about immigration even so far as people telling immigrants, even young people, to go home because we don't want them here doesn't convey to them a sense of belonging. Sadly, we even have educators who have this attitude. Ironically, some of these young people (and adults!) are home--this is the only country they know and they don't even speak their 1st language. A majority of them are U.S. citizens.

Maslow has belonging as the second rung of his hierarchy ladder, and Dr. William Glasser lists it as one of the five needs we all have in his "Choice Theory" for Quality Schools. Dr. William Purkey and Invitational Education elaborate on specifics schools can do to make schools inviting for ALL studnets, and thus provide a sense of belonging.

Clarence W. Joldersma from Calvin College has a chapter in the book Nurturing and Reflective Teachers that provides some new light on what it means in regards to the uniqueness of our students. He suggests that valuing uniqueness doesn't mean focusing on differences, or even similarities, but realizing that each child regardless of his/her contribution is irreplaceable as an image bearer of God--someone chosen by God "to be." [and therefore, belongs!] He goes on to say that educators serve God by pedagocally ministering to the needs of each student within his/her stewardship.

Spiritual leaders understand this need for belonging that each person within his/her stewardship has and therefore, will commit to do " whatever it takss," for each and everyone within his/her stewardship to have this need met.