Low Participation Rates amongst Latino Parents in Education and Metho

One of the most crucial topics in education is the involvement of parents in their child’s school as well as their education. For the past few decades research has been conducted about the involvement of parents in their community schools as well as the influence that is has. However, it has been noted that it is within minority communities and families where there is the least amount of involvement in their child’s school and education, more so in Latino communities. Although the amount of involvement does not necessarily reflect the parents concern of the child’s academic performance, educators have proclaimed that parental involvement does in fact help the student perform academically better: â€Å"Various studies indicate that parental involvement is salient in determining how well children do in school at both the elementary and secondary school levels† (Christian et. al., 1998). Yet, it has come to many educational leaders attention that there has b een a steady decline in parental involvement across the country and Latino and other minority communities seem to have the lowest number of participation in their school. Many researchers have investigated and still do to find the cause of why there is a lack of parents involved in school within these minority communities. â€Å"Parental involvement has become of the centerpieces of educational dialogue among educators, parents, and political leaders. The presence of more parents in the workforce, the fast pace of modern society as a while and the declining role of the family have all been reasons that some social-scientist have pointed to explain an apparent decline in parental involvement in education†(Coleman & Hoffer, 1987). This is one of the growing believed reasons in why there ... ...viting parents no matter the gender, class, or race to become involved in their school. Martinez-Cosio’s case in her article is a perfect example of what occurs daily to parents whom try to get involved, more so Latinos. However, this is not always the case. Researchers are digging deeper into the more emotional aspect of why Latino parents tend to lack in parental involvement in the schools. â€Å"The women felt that the school was an extension of their home, and that the teachers served as surrogate mothers† (Ramirez, 2003). Latino women see school as another home for their child as well as see the teachers as another mother to their child; therefore, it is easy to conclude that mothers do not participate in their child’s school because they believe that the â€Å"surrogate mothers† take care of everything involved within the school while they take care of home issues.