Current Issues:

In communities across Iowa Latinos are confronting a wide variety of issues that are of extreme importance to the future of not only Latinos in Iowa, but Latinos nationwide. The key to resolving these issues is not always apparent, but new legislation and political involvement is assuredly a move in the right direction. West Liberty and small communities with substantial Latino populations are experiencing similar problems statewide.

Bilingual Programming

The West Liberty Community School district implemented a Bilingual Education program in late 1998 to accommodate the growing number of Latino immigrants to the area. Currently in West Liberty, there are over 1,200 students, and nearly half of them speak Spanish as a native language. The Bilingual education programming would draw around $400,000 in funds to train teachers in bilingual education methods, and implementing courses. The primary focus of the program is on the earlier levels, where as many as 65% of the children are Hispanic.

In early elementary classes, lessons are divided in half in both English and Spanish sections. Many families see it as an opportunity for their children to learn a second language (Spanish) while they are still young and learn more easily. Children also seem to approve of the classes

Opponents of the program argue that the money could be better spent elsewhere and that the program itself will detract from the general education process. Because some of the funding for the program comes directly from the district, it means higher taxes for the West Liberty residents. Those who don’t favor the program don’t want to fund it obviously, but may be locked into it regardless. One man argued that the money should be used to hire more teachers or spent on teaching children to read better. Despite skepticism, the program seems to be working very well, though it has led to recurring problems of ‘white flight’, which is now being addressed in community legislature.

‘White flight’ and the Desegregation of Schools

Currently, West Liberty School and town officials are considering the adoption of Desegregation Plan to help curb ‘white flight’, or racist xenophobia in the schools. What the plan would basically do is disallow transferring schools merely because there is a large population of Latino children in the school. This past year roughly 80 students open-enrolled themselves into other school districts, which, in a small community like West Liberty, is a significant amount of children. Contenders of the proposed policy insist that they have a right to choose where their children go to school. Recently, the school board approved the $3000 expense of drafting a desegregation plan to slow the white exodus from the community.

Because nearly half of the West Liberty population is Latino, there is a greater demand for bilingual education and educational programming to accommodate the demographics. Statistics show that this number will only be growing, as low housing costs and new job opportunities draw more Latino families into the area. This bilingual education does not infringe on the general education of all students, though some beg to differ. Despite all of this, however, it is still quite possible for any student to get a good education from the school. Officials will attempt to gather and present information that proves West Liberty’s educational system to be sound for all people.

If the plan is enacted, many feel that those who open-enrolled their children in other schools to avoid the Latino influx in West Liberty wouldn’t really be welcome. Additionally, for each student that leaves West Liberty, the community loses $4,600 in state aid, which adds up to a huge loss nearing almost $375,000 when you have a mass flight of 81 students. Although West Liberty’s Latino population is larger than most in the area, trends indicate that this is soon to be a norm, and it’s very important that all communities are aware of and do their best to prevent segregation, before it comes to the point of requiring a Legislative act.

Iowa Dream Act

The Iowa Dream Act (IDA) aims to aid the young Latino population in Iowa attain a higher level of education and legal status at the same time; this would prove mutually beneficial to both the students and state. As of right now, these students who came across the border with their families have done nothing wrong, but cannot easily achieve resident status despite their often lengthy amounts of time living in the country.

The Dream Act seeks to reward the immigrant student who embodies the Iowa ideals of hard work, and family and community involvement. Many immigrants who graduate from high school do not have the funds or means to enroll in higher education, and wind up at dead ends. Loss of hope is a key factor in high school drop outs, and in general throughout the community as bright, hard working individuals hit brick walls.

Provided that the students meet a number of criteria, the Dream Act Will help these immigrants, and not only Latino immigrants find a brighter future in higher education and citizenship. The criteria are as follows…each student must:

-Have resided with a parent or guardian while attending school in the state.

-Have graduated from a high school in the state or earned their equivalent diploma in the state.

- Have attended school in the state for at least 3 years prior to graduation.

-File an affidavit stating intent to become a permanent resident of the United States as soon as possible.

-Have been law-abiding and demonstrated good morals in their time here.

The IDA offers hope to students who would otherwise be trapped at dead ends following high school, by allowing them a chance to become skilled workers and active members of a society and community that values them tremendously.