Nowadays, the numbers of immigrants from various countries are keep increasing each year. Also the numbers of illegal immigrants are increasing as well in many sates within the United States. This is especially true in the case of Border States. While this holds as fact, the article “Immigrant Compromise and Equality” have brought very important point about immigrant and equality.
I recommend this article since it talks about current discrimination problems against illegal immigrants vs. their employers and it further points out about immigrants’ equality.
Let’s take an example of the immigrant workers’ with Mexican immigrant workers.
These days, Mexican immigration on the United States has great impact on US economy and it has been a major focus of policymakers as the impact of the Mexican immigration grows every year.
Mexican immigrant worker in the US grew by 123 percent while the number of American workers grew by 13 percent in the 1990s. This means that the US employers are continue to seek to hire large number of Mexican workers due to the shortage of workers in the US.
As the article pointed out that the new compromise tries to make illegal immigrant workers legal immigrant workers. Many times, systems in the US usually try to benefit the illegal immigrants like this system or by providing them permanent resident status, while they do almost nothing for the employers or legal immigrant, who actually provide the work and funds. On the other hand, some employers are trying to benefit from the illegal immigrants by paying them lower wages than other employees.
Thus using biometric card will help employers to hire legal immigrant workers and hopefully reduce much discrimination against illegal immigrants. But it’ll be almost impossible to change all illegal immigrants to legal immigrants.
But I think it is better for the US to focus more on preventing illegal immigrant workers than focusing on changing their status from illegal to legal. To do this, the US may reduce conditions that force employers to unknowingly hire immigrant workers pressured to enter the US illegally to obtain a job.
As the article said, it is very important for people to have non-biased views on immigrants. No matter how many systems are launched, discrimination will exist unless people accept immigrants as people just like them. Otherwise, system will fail by people and doesn’t work for people like the article said. If employers don’t accept immigrants as people, then they will figure some ways to benefit themselves out of the system.
Thus, it will be crucial for citizens to accept immigrants as equal as they are in order for the prevention of illegal immigrants and the many systems for immigrant workers to properly work, which will decrease discriminations against immigrant workers in turn.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Friday, August 3, 2007
AVID, one step closer to college dreams
Carter-Riverside High School in Fort Worth district has had the AVID program for about eight years. This program basically aims to prepare students in the middle to succeed in high school and go to college. After having the AVID program for about eight years, the Fort Worth school district decided to expand the program to all high schools next year.
First of all, what is AVID program?
AVID program might sound little bit unfamiliar with many students, but the AVID program started in 1980 by Mary Catherine Swanson, who was the head of the English department at San Diego’s Clairemont High School, to help many underserved students to survive academically in Clairemont High School. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. AVID started with one high school and 32 students, and now it serves almost 200,000 students in over 2,700 middle and high schools in 39 states and in the District of Columbia across 15 countries.
AVID is an academic support program for grades 5 to 12 that prepares students for college success, especially for students who are academically in the middle.
In Texas, AVID began in the San Antonio Independent School District. 27 high schools and 13 middle schools participated in AVID in 1999-2000, but the number of participating schools has been increased to 158 high school and 153 middle schools by 2006-2007. Also students’ enrollment is increasing rapidly each year. In 1999-2000, 724 high school students and 680 middle school students enrolled in AVID and 11,969 high school students and 8,498 middle school students enrolled by year 2006-2007. Now, Texas is the second largest in the nation that implemented AVID.
Now, it is important to think about why Fort Worth school district decided to expand AVID to all high schools next year.
According to the Texas AVID state office’s website, 80% to 85% who are enrolled in AVID are Hispanics and African Americans and about 65% to 70% are economically disadvantaged.
More than 80% middle school students in AVID enroll in advanced courses, and greater portion of high school students passes TAKS exams as well, which means that AVID is actually aiding underserved students for their academic success without paying high-cost tutors. AVID works with school districts and the districts provide public school teacher and tutors for these students.
Also parents are involved by attending site team meeting and keeping regular contact with the AVID coordinator, thus can encourage their students to academically success.
When AVID and National high school graduation rates were compared, 99% of AVID students graduated high school while national high school graduation rate was about 82%. AVID students completed university entrance requirements at a much high rate than non-AVID students (91% vs. 34%), and more than 80% AVID students applied for four-year colleges and more than 75% of AVID students accepted to four-year colleges.
For all these reasons, AVID should be implemented more in Texas schools. AVID is the road to the American Dream, which is college for many students. According to Education Trust, only 13 percent of all bachelors’ degrees are earned by Blacks, Latinos, and Native-Americans combined.
If districts are seriously concerning about their students to academically speed up, they should support and expand AVID programs. AVID isn’t an organization to make money out of underserved students’ pocket. It is actually helping those students to get back to their track and take burdens off of their parents. Support for AVID will provide opportunity for the many of minority students’ academic achievements, that is the opportunity to fulfill their college dream. Furthermore, fulfilling their college will lead more of the minority students into higher social position jobs and help them to maintain certain level of living.
Therefore, expanding AVID to more high schools in Texas, and other states, should be encouraged and supported. AVID isn’t just a way to acceptance to colleges. It is actually minority students’ road to their success in college and their life in the near future. Success of minority people in Texas will benefit the state by decreasing minority-related problems, such as unemployment and crimes caused by low-level livings, since Texas' population is consist of more than 50% minorities.
First of all, what is AVID program?
AVID program might sound little bit unfamiliar with many students, but the AVID program started in 1980 by Mary Catherine Swanson, who was the head of the English department at San Diego’s Clairemont High School, to help many underserved students to survive academically in Clairemont High School. AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. AVID started with one high school and 32 students, and now it serves almost 200,000 students in over 2,700 middle and high schools in 39 states and in the District of Columbia across 15 countries.
AVID is an academic support program for grades 5 to 12 that prepares students for college success, especially for students who are academically in the middle.
In Texas, AVID began in the San Antonio Independent School District. 27 high schools and 13 middle schools participated in AVID in 1999-2000, but the number of participating schools has been increased to 158 high school and 153 middle schools by 2006-2007. Also students’ enrollment is increasing rapidly each year. In 1999-2000, 724 high school students and 680 middle school students enrolled in AVID and 11,969 high school students and 8,498 middle school students enrolled by year 2006-2007. Now, Texas is the second largest in the nation that implemented AVID.
Now, it is important to think about why Fort Worth school district decided to expand AVID to all high schools next year.
According to the Texas AVID state office’s website, 80% to 85% who are enrolled in AVID are Hispanics and African Americans and about 65% to 70% are economically disadvantaged.
More than 80% middle school students in AVID enroll in advanced courses, and greater portion of high school students passes TAKS exams as well, which means that AVID is actually aiding underserved students for their academic success without paying high-cost tutors. AVID works with school districts and the districts provide public school teacher and tutors for these students.
Also parents are involved by attending site team meeting and keeping regular contact with the AVID coordinator, thus can encourage their students to academically success.
When AVID and National high school graduation rates were compared, 99% of AVID students graduated high school while national high school graduation rate was about 82%. AVID students completed university entrance requirements at a much high rate than non-AVID students (91% vs. 34%), and more than 80% AVID students applied for four-year colleges and more than 75% of AVID students accepted to four-year colleges.
For all these reasons, AVID should be implemented more in Texas schools. AVID is the road to the American Dream, which is college for many students. According to Education Trust, only 13 percent of all bachelors’ degrees are earned by Blacks, Latinos, and Native-Americans combined.
If districts are seriously concerning about their students to academically speed up, they should support and expand AVID programs. AVID isn’t an organization to make money out of underserved students’ pocket. It is actually helping those students to get back to their track and take burdens off of their parents. Support for AVID will provide opportunity for the many of minority students’ academic achievements, that is the opportunity to fulfill their college dream. Furthermore, fulfilling their college will lead more of the minority students into higher social position jobs and help them to maintain certain level of living.
Therefore, expanding AVID to more high schools in Texas, and other states, should be encouraged and supported. AVID isn’t just a way to acceptance to colleges. It is actually minority students’ road to their success in college and their life in the near future. Success of minority people in Texas will benefit the state by decreasing minority-related problems, such as unemployment and crimes caused by low-level livings, since Texas' population is consist of more than 50% minorities.
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