Hispanics and education in lagrange, georgia: 1998 – 2006

Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States, with an estimated population of 42,395,215. By 2010, this community is projected to increase by 49,401,042 (Eselig Center of Economic Growth, Terry College of Business, The University of Georgia, May 2005, as cited in www.ghcc.org/statistics.html)
According to the 2004 U.S Census estimates, Georgia has a population of 8,581,489, 6.7% ofwhom are Hispanics (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). Analysts have affirmed that in the past 15 years, Georgia has experienced an increase of more than 300% in the number of Hispanic inhabitants. As a result, Georgia has the eleventh-largest Hispanic population in United States. About half of the Hispanics in Georgia are U.S. citizens, either by birth or naturalization, but more than half of the Hispanicpopulation of Georgia was born outside of the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2004). Although some of the growth in the Southern Hispanic population can be attributed to migration from California, Texas, and other U.S. states, most stems directly from immigration (Atiles & Bohon, 2002 as cited in Bohon, Macpherson, 2005).
U.S. Hispanics are the fifth-largest Spanish-speaking community inthe world behind Mexico, Spain, Colombia, and Argentina. Recent research shows that with population growth being driven by a high birth rate rather than immigration, U.S. Hispanics will become primarily English speakers (www.ghcc.org/statistics.html).
This investigation focuses on the city of LaGrange, Georgia in the last eight years. It explores several issues that Hispanics face or have facedwhen confronted with Public Education in the United States. Most of the data used in this study comes from primary sources due to a lack of written information about this topic.
LaGrange is a city located in Troup County, Georgia. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the total population in the year 2000 was 25,998. An estimation found in an article in LaGrange Daly Newspaper claims that thenumber of Hispanics in 1997 was around 1,200. In this year Census estimates 308 Hispanics living in LaGrange. In addition, the Pastor of the First Hispanic Church in LaGrange estimates the Hispanic population at almost 400. However, the official number from the Census Bureau in 2000 is 634 Hispanics living in LaGrange.
One Hispanic immigrant observed that it was difficult to see Hispanics walking onthe streets in 1995. An Hispanic social worker from New York commented that when he arrived in this city in 1995: “I doubled the Latino population in those days.”
A Spanish teacher at a local High School mentioned that in the nineties it wasn’t common to see Hispanic people in local stores, parks, or churches. She believes that a great socioeconomic change has taken place in the Hispanicpopulation: “in those days the majority of Hispanic people living in LaGrange were professionals in hospitals, schools, churches or even in governmental jobs, today it is totally different.” She also commented that immigration started in 1995 or 1996, when jobs in construction were opened for people from Mexico and Guatemala. According to her, these jobs were available due to the Olympic Games in Atlantain 1996.
Another comment from a family member who arrived at the end of 1998 was that “those days were different, today you can find people talking Spanish on the streets, there are many Mexican products available in local grocery stores, and some TV programs have subtitles in Spanish.” There is no doubt that society has changed.
At present, there are 235 Hispanic students in Troup Countyenrolled in levels Pre-K to twelfth grade. LaGrange has the greatest population of Hispanics students in this county. There are 208 Hispanic students enrolled in local schools (Troup County School System). One could claim that this number is not significant, but if we reflect on the fact that the 1998 estimate of the Hispanic student population was roughly 5 students, it is logical to conclude...