LV educational program targets Hispanics parents

By Timothy Pratt (contact)

Friday, June 22, 2001 | 3:56 a.m.

Rosa Alejandre, 28, has gotten a jump-start on her 5-year-old daughter Victoria's education.

She was one of 25 people -- 10 of whom were parents such as herself -- who helped launch a national parent/school partnership program for Hispanics in the form of a weeklong workshop at the Community College of Southern Nevada. The workshop ended Friday.

The program was created by the Los Angeles-based Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund, one of the nation's largest and oldest Hispanic civil rights organizations. Its purpose is to train Hispanic parents and school and community leaders, who then teach parents ways to get more involved in their children's schooling.

The idea has been developing in Los Angeles for 11 years, but MALDEF took it on the road for the first time.

"I learned that we have the power, as parents, to help in our children's education," Alejandre said.

"This could mean asking to look at records on our children -- which I didn't know we could do -- or contacting our representatives when there's a bill being voted on that has to do with education," she said.

"Or, it could mean talking to my daughter's school -- Elizondo Elementary, in North Las Vegas -- about getting a tarp or something to throw some shade over the area where students play."

Alejandre, like many Hispanic parents, didn't realize she could have such an influence regarding her child's education. In the next few months she will visit more elementary schools in the valley to deliver the message.

"Latinos are often taught in their countries of origin to not question authority, since this is seen as disrespectful or even risky," said Leticia Acevedo, director of the East Las Vegas Community Development Corp., which sponsored the workshop.

"On top of that, many Hispanic parents may feel work is more important than education in order to help the family," she said.

"So, we're trying to break this down and get out the message that education is key to the future of Latinos in Las Vegas, whether recently arrived or born and raised here."

Although Census 2000 showed Hispanics comprise 22 percent of Clark County's population, Hispanics make up 28 percent of the county's elementary school enrollment.

Claudia Monterrosa, MALDEF's National Parent/School Partnership director, led the workshop.

"We had parents from all over the city, Clark County School District personnel, community and business leaders, and higher education," Monterrosa said.

"I haven't seen this kind of coordination anywhere else in the country," she said.

Susan Gaffney, a reading specialist at Reynaldo Martinez Elementary School, also attended the workshop.

"I get a lot of parents coming to my school who only speak Spanish, and I used to see this as a big obstacle," she said.

"Now, I understand that their fears and shyness are the biggest barrier. The rest is a lot easier to overcome."