LOS ANGELES, CA, August 03, 2009
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Does Hispanic culture as a whole place less emphasis on education than other ethnic groups in this country? "Yes, and that is one of the main reasons for Latino underachievement in U.S. schools and colleges," says Ernesto Caravantes, 36, the Mexican-American author of best-selling book, "Clipping Their Own Wings."
Caravantes not only identifies Hispanic culture as one of the main reasons for limited educational successes, he also gives a few suggestions in the book for any Latino parent or student willing to improve their chances for educational achievement.
"I became interested in this area of study after realizing that there was a high difference in the high school and college completion rates among Latinos in general and Mexican-Americans in particular as opposed to the main ethnic group in the country, the Caucasian rate, and other groups such as Asians as well as Jews who have such a high college and high school completion rate," says Caravantes.
He cites a recent article in U.S. News & World Report, where the high school graduation rate for Hispanics was 57% in the year 2000. "In that same year, 79% of African-Americans graduated from high school. The rate for Anglo-American students was 89%."
Caravantes who often speaks at colleges and universities throughout the country says, the recent report of detailing how Texas lags behind in Hispanics in higher education is once again a wake up call for action. The staff report was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on Thursday looked at progress toward goals adopted by the state in 2000. The board has long considered lagging Hispanic enrollment and graduation rates a major problem.
"Texas is not one of the highest-achieving states in terms of overall education attainment," Higher Education Commissioner Raymund Paredes said. "And Hispanics are the lowest-achieving of the three major ethnic groups in Texas."
The Austin American-Statesman reported Friday that the review found Hispanic enrollment had grown faster than that of blacks or whites but not fast enough to meet the state's goals. Nearly 129,500 more Hispanic students have enrolled in higher education since 2000, but another 309,000 would need to do so by 2015 to meet the state's goal of 5.7 percent of Hispanics enrolled. Texas had about 367,000 Latino college students last year.
The author says, "I think among Hispanic parents there is a widespread ignorance of what is necessary to succeed in the United States. They don't seem to realize it is a different ball game here. Sometimes you need a Masters degree just to get your foot in the door."
"Rather than it being a mutual journey where both the students and parents go to college campuses and both take tours, I think that a lot of Hispanic parents are intimidated and prefer to keep their distance."
"The message needs to be put out there and that is what my book is all about. I am from that culture and I can see clearly what very few people are admitting to themselves—that the Hispanic culture does not value education."
Ernesto Caravantes is now scheduling speaking engagements at colleges and universities around the country for the 2009-10 school year. For more information, contact: events@dplump.com
About Ernesto Caravantes (www.ernestocaravantes.com):
The only son of ernesto caravantesMexican immigrant parents, Ernesto faced expulsion from school at a young age because he didn't know how to speak English. His teacher told his parents, "Teach this boy English or go back to Mexico." Instead of outrage, his parents began a long crusade of English immersion.
His early struggles to learn English along with subsequent remedial English classes, challenged his confidence but fueled a determination to succeed academically and otherwise.
Marked by a steady uphill progression and desire to expand his skills and his horizons, Ernesto went on to graduate from California State University - Long Beach, and forged ahead to complete a Masters Degree in Counseling. Committed to life long learning, Ernesto hosted an educational cable television show,
and wrote "Clipping Their Own Wings," which became a best-selling novel. He followed up this novel with, "The Mexican American Mind."
Caravantes' thought provoking books and orations have placed him in the league of some of the nation's most well-respected thought leaders.
Caravantes' book,"Clipping Their Own Wings" is required reading for the teachers at the Allen Village Charter School in Missouri. It is also of Dr. Chiasson, at Mount Saint Mary's College, "Diversity in Education" Class. In addition, it is required reading at California State University, Long Beach. "Clipping Their Own Wings" is in 208 Libraries worldwide.
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