Motivated in respect to the non-motivated

WHAT?:

Noguera explains the difference between first and second generation students by saying first are motivated than the second due to immigrating to America for a better life. Second generation children are more likely to develop lazy habits due to hopeless thoughts of seeing how hard their parents struggled to attain even a taste of the american dream. Noguera quotes, “not all of the latino students I meet are so full of drive, determination, or clarity about goals. Some are angry and sullen, less optimistic” (noguera 262). These children of the present have to worry about surviving day to day, and usually have no established plan for the future. This often leads to identifying as a clique from their hood. Proposition 187 is the policy that states that illegally immigrated citizens should not have access to public health care, and education. This effected latinos because they all were immigrating not because of access to these amenities, but because the terrible wealth imbalance between the United States and America. If this law were enacted, latinos would not be able to retain the education needed to even somehow possibly retain the American dream. The burrito story effects kids like Miguel who are trying to fit into the American dream sometimes in a negative way. Noguera states, “socialization and acculturation, and assimilation is sometimes harmful to academic achievement and performance” (noguera 262). In the burrito king story, Halcon immigrated to the “gringo’s” side of the room, which promoted integration between these two. This can be a result of why Miguel had probably not passed the english entrance exam due to the integration into the American culture.

SO WHAT?: Hard work alone is not enough for children like Fernando to succeed due to context problems, as well as the structural inequalities that these children are unaware of. Noguera says, “when you live in a community like the south bronx, sometimes circumstances beyond your control — the school you attend, the neighborhood you live in,whether or not any jobs are available — are far more powerful in determining how far or where you’ll end up. Attitude and drive certainly count too” (Noguera 251). second generation children who are still going through struggles in the United States are fighting these inequalities with an open mind, and are slightly unaware of them since they are merely kids. These children have to cling to the aspect of “I didnt work hard” just to survive. When these children do not succeed after working hard, the disappointment received is devastating since America provides itself upon the American dream and through hard work, anything is possible. This then leads tension that causes second generation children to have much doubt, and no motivation to succeed. The first generations may be disappointed in the second generation, while the second generation resents them for trying to attain an unreachable dream due to the unfair system.

NOW WHAT: Trump and cruz intend to make a wall and get all illegal immigrants out of the country. Clinton and sanders intend to keep immigrants as well as create programs to help these immigrants become legal in the United States. This could affect the workers at my service learning site since they would have no job due to lack of immigrant children that are struggling in education due to deportation. Also the immigrant children’s parents may be deported, which leaves them with no one to live with. How will they survive? I plan on voting this June, but I am not campaigning due to being busy in school. This presidential election will be the election that effects our generation the most, and I am afraid of the future of latinos if a republican is elected.