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Carlos Flores
UWRT 1103
Culture Vignettes
September 22, 2014
American Life through Hispanic Eyes
I do not think it is very easy to go to school for a little kid who just wanted to stay home
and play. However, for some reason, it was for me. Although I started late, because my mother
did not want to let me go into school right away, I fit right in. Everyone assumed that I did not
know any English. Back then it was the norm that Hispanic students were just that: Spanish
speaking students who didnt know English. Because of the assumptions that we were inferior,
we were isolated and misunderstood. I like to think that I was one of the few to begin a change in
my community.
In the summer before I started school, I was in enrolled in a summer crash course by my
father. This course was designed to get kids used to school before beginning kindergarten in the
fall. When approached by many teachers I encountered a skimpy form of half-ass Spanish
because they assumed I did not speak English. I would sometimes play along and go with it. The
next time I would see that particular teacher they would say something like, Como estas? I
would simply reply, I am good, how about you? The teacher, astonished, would feel ridiculous
for assuming I didnt know English. It was like this through the first few years of school. I was,
in a way, isolated from the rest of the kids, gathered up with the rest of the Hispanics and forced
into a small, smelly classroom on the other side of the school beside the gym. Although I knew
and perfectly understood English, I was forced to be in ESL (English as a Second Language). In
this class we studied the basics of English. In World War II, all of the Jewish people were
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forced into concentration camps just because they were Jewish. In Franklin Elementary School
all of the Hispanics were forced into ESL. I am not completely against ESL classes. It truly has
its purpose and it fulfills that purpose if gone about correctly. But shouldnt there be a test or at
least an evaluation to determine if a student needs these so called ESL classes? Hispanics were
automatically set apart from other students, depriving us of opportunities to develop our social
skills and improve our communication skills by talking to other non-Spanish speaking kids.
Forwarding to Third grade, I was then placed into AIG (Academically or Intellectually
Gifted). There was an enormous difference between ESL and AIG. This time I was being set
apart from regular students but for a good reason. I was being praised for my academic gifts
instead of being set apart for flaws I didnt have. Also, the AIG teacher actually enjoyed her job,
she wasnt a wretched, hateful being like the ESL teacher. One again, the majority of this class
was Caucasian, so I was distinguishable among the bunch. As before, I was set apart, but it was
different this time. I was set apart for the right reasons. I was motivated by my teacher because I
was told that I had an advantageI was bilingual. Many people dont realize, but it is
scientifically proven that people who speak more than one language have the potential to be
some of the smartest people on this planet.
In high school it was completely different, I was not seen as a different anymore, in some
cases I was seen as superior because of my intellect. Becoming an average Hispanic, or just
regular student within the system, is normal. Becoming a recognized figure of your entire school
and community, thats something else. When you have a primarily white community cheering
youa Hispanic malein, it means something. I believe I broke the boarders between two
cultures and opened the door for MY culture. Students with Hispanic heritage, or any type of
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minority should not be afraid of trying to make a name for themselves. There is not a set bar,
besides the one that you set.
It is common conspiracy among Hispanic/Latino students that we dont fit into the
American culture, yet the so called American culture is not just in the United States its all across
North America and South America. We can influence the culture around us just by being present.
Everyone brings their ideas, thoughts, and points of views to the table. Although there might be
conflicts between two parties, there should be a mutual agreement that everyone has the right to
their own opinion. Personally being a first generation student and in the College of Engineering,
if I was someone else I would definitely feel like I do not fit. However, I refuse to believe in the
common social idea that I cannot make simply because of who I am, how I look, and where I
come from.