A 2012 study released by the Pew Research Hispanic Center noted that despite a continual onslaught of reports to the contrary in the mainstream media, Latinos continue to express a deeper concern for a variety of issues related to education and the overall state of the economy than they do about immigration matters. The report, issued last August just prior to the primary elections, reinforced an earlier study conducted in 2008 that yielded similar results. This latest iteration stressed that “education, jobs and the economy and healthcare are the top issues for Hispanic registered voters.”
These results, though not shocking to people who understand the complexities and heterogeneity of America’s Latino community, undoubtedly surprised many “experts,” who continually use immigration-related topics as wedge issues for political advancement and manipulation. This approach belittles the progress made by Hispanics across the United States and is an insulting and transparent political ploy. Moreover, it is simply not in line with the set of priorities to which most Latinos clearly relate.
While we all recognize the solutions to our statewide challenges lie in our ability to educate our children, many of our families in Indiana lack basic academic foundations so critical to realizing positive long-term outcomes. While only 11 percent of Hispanic students currently enrolled in Indiana’s public schools have mothers holding at least a bachelor’s degree, a whopping 39 percent of our community’s students have mothers holding less than a high school diploma.