International Programs

The education of students of Mexican descent has long been a dilemma of the public schools in the United States, especially in the Southwest where there is a large population of Mexican descent. In writing this thesis my goal was to evaluate the education of students of Mexican descent in the U.S. public schools. In doing so I examined possible reasons for the poor academic achievement in comparison to other students. Many of these students, unlike their Anglo-American peers, we more likely to be retained in grade levels, spend less time in school and were ultimately more likely to drop out. As the population of people of Mexican descent increases in the U. S. at astonishing rates, the need for school reform and a better education for the students of Mexican descent have become more apparent.
The high percentages of academic failure among students of Mexican descent can partly be attributed to the continuation of racism historically woven into North American society. Reform is needed within the public schools to confront and prevent racism that has inhibited many students of Mexican descent from receiving a proper and equal education.
In the first section of my thesis I gave a brief historical background of the relationship of Mexicans and Mexican Americans with the Anglo North Americans. In this background I hoped to expose the racism and discrimination that Mexican Americans and those of Mexican descent endured in a predominately Anglo American society.
In the second section I discussed factors influencing the poor academic achievement of students of Mexican descent. The issues that I focused on were those that show that segregation and unequal education perpetuates in the schools systems today.
First I gave an overview of the history of segregation in the U.S. public schools. Then I discussed how differential treatment towards students of Mexican descent can act as a form of segregation even in a racially mixed classroom.
In the third section I discussed the influence of family and culture on the education of students of Mexican descent. Such influences include the educational background of parents of Mexican descent, their involvement in their children's education, as well as Mexican cultural.
Finally, on a more positive note, I discussed schools that have successfully educated students of Mexican descent and described their common characteristics. Following this section I concluded with my personal thoughts and hopes for better schooling in the future that will help all students, regardless of their racial background, to succeed and reach their highest academic potentials.