Sabrina

Campos
September 29, 2014

What is the language divide?

Hispanics share the heritage of the Spanish language.

As of 2002, about 23 percent of Mexican Americans are
English dominant, 26 percent are bilingual and 51
percent are Spanish dominant.
Puerto Ricans in the United States tend to be more
English Language oriented.
BILINGUAL EDUCATION
Until the last 20 or 30 years, there was a conscious effort
to devalue the Spanish language and to discourage
Hispanics from using it in schools.
In the past in the Southwest, Mexican Americans were
assigned to Mexican schools to keep Anglo schools all
White.
In integrated schools, Latino children were given
separate, unequal treatment
No Spanish was a rule enforced throughout the
Southwest, Florida, and New York City by school boards
in the 1960s.
Children speaking Spanish on school grounds, even on
the playground, might be punished with detention after
school, fines, physical reprimands, and even expulsion for
repeated violations.
Bilingualism is the use of two or more languages in places
of work or educational facilities, according each language
equal legitimacy.

Summary: The language divide was about how many Hispanics went to school and how they
went through it. In the past in the Southwest, Mexican Americans were assigned to Mexican
schools to keep all Anglo schools all White. In integrated schools Latinos were given separate
treatment, which was unfair to them. Even if the children speak Spanish even on the
playground, they got punished for it.

Sabrina Campos
September 29, 2014

What is the growing
political presence?

In the last 30 years, the major political parties

have begun to acknowledge the Latinos form of a
force in the election process.
In 1975, Congress moved toward recognizing the
multilingual background of the U.S population
Federal law now requires bilingual or even
multingual ballots in voting districts where at
least 5 percent of the voting-age population or
10,000 of the population do not speak English.
In the November 2002 elections, some 296
countries and municipalities in 30 states issued
multilingual ballots.
Hispanics were not interested in voting, but
because many were ineligible under the U.S
Constitution because they were noncitizens.
At the time of the 2000 presidential election, 39
percent of Hispanics of voting age were
noncitizens compared with only 22 percent of
White non-Hispanics
Like African Americans, many Latinos resent the
fact that every four years political movers and
shakers rediscover they exist.

Summary: In November 2002 elections, some 296 countries and municipalities in 30 states
issued multiannual ballots. Some Hispanics were not interested in voting because many were
ineligible under the U.S Constitution because they were noncitizen.. Like African Americans,
many Latinos resent the fact that every four year political movers and shakers rediscover they
exist.