The Elusive Quest for Equality: 150 Years of Chicano/Chicana Education / Edition 1

by José F. Moreno

Overview

The Elusive Quest for Equality documents both the plight and the struggle of Chicano communities over the past 150 years, using the guiding themes of segregation, Americanization, and resistance in the history of education for Chicanos/Chicanas.

The history of the Chicano community's quest for educational equality is long and rich. Since the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo formalized the conquest of half of Mexico's territory into what is now the U.S. Southwest, Chicanos have fought to claim what was promised them in the Treaty—the enjoyment of all the rights of U.S. citizens. In terms of education, they certainly have never had equal access, opportunity, or resources, despite legal victories. In this volume, some of the leading scholars analyze why the quest for equality in education has remained so elusive. They do so by documenting both the plight and the struggle of Chicano communities over the past 150 years, using the guiding themes of the role of language, segregation, Americanization, and resistance in the history of education for Chicanos/Chicanas.

"In the cover painting of this book, Manuel Hernandez Trujillo captures...the dualistic nature of the U.S. conquest of Northern Mexico, reflecting both the losses and opportunities represented in his camino de espinas (road of thorns). This tension between cynicism and optimism pervades the essays in this volume...something I see over and over again in discussions that focus on the significance of race in a democratic society. To what extent does the past determine our future, and to what degree do our own expectations of the future influence our interpretations of the past? It seems to me that these two interdependent questions continue to shape both our experience as Chicanos/Chicanas and our understanding of what it means to be Chicano/Chicana in the United States at the end of the twentieth century."

Manuel N. Gómez, Vice Chancellor, Student Services, University of California, Irvine, from the Foreword

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780916690335
Publisher:	Harvard Education Publishing Group (H E P G)
Publication date:	01/01/1999
Series:	HER Reprint Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	204
Product dimensions:	6.75(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.51(d)

About the Author

Edited by José F. Moreno

Editorial Reviews

“The Latino student population in this nation is growing by leaps and bounds, and these students are being met by hostile policies such as anti-bilingual and anti-affirmative action practices. Every educator should pay close attention to the policies recommended and history documented in this book.” — Teresa Montano, United Teachers Los Angeles

“The Elusive Quest for Equality is an important contribution that advances the conversation of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the impact it has had on the educational expectations of Mexican Americans.” — Rodolfo Acuna, California State University at Northridge

“Some of the best minds in the field inform us that many of our present difficulties (e.g., biased testing, segregation, language issues, and access to institutions of higher education) have deep historical roots….The most powerful message of this book, …in my opinion, is that policymakers and other school reformers would do well to learn more about the history of education as it has developed for Chicanos/as. Knowing this history is essential for understanding the implications of present reform initiatives.” — Ruben Donato, University of Colorado at Boulder

“The Elusive Quest for Equality builds a solid case for the resilience and tenacity of the Mexican American struggle for equality in education. It also provides an indispensable background for educators and a moral guidepost for anyone who determines educational policy in the United States today.” — Manuel S. Espinosa, Saddleback College, Mission Viejo, CA

From the Publisher