Hispanic Heritage Month has been long celebrated at Lawrence High, but it is way more than just music, dance and food. Hispanic students are a major part of LHS; and lately, many have had to face challenges.
In January of last school year, Principal Quentin Rials forwarded an email from Superintendent Jeanice Swift regarding threats towards Hispanic students. The email came after the Trump administration rolled back ‘protected areas policies,’ which banned immigration enforcement from entering places like schools, churches and hospitals.
“In the Lawrence Public Schools, we view diversity as our strength, and we respect and value each of our students and their families,” Swift wrote. “We understand that many of our children and families are experiencing concern as a result of recent national developments, and we will continue to reassure all within our community of our ongoing engagement and support.”
Since then, ICE enforcement has continued to intensify; not just locally, but across the country. Recently, The Supreme Court lifted a lower court order that banned detainment based on racial and physical appearance. Now, ICE agents can detain and deport anyone who ‘looks like an illegal immigrant.’
Hispanic students are the largest minority at Lawrence High, making up around 14% of the school compared to around 6% African American and 4% Native American students.
“The Hispanic or Latino community is the largest minority in our school, so that obviously has a big impact on the diversity and demographics,” Spanish teacher Nury Gorman said.
The community in Lawrence not only faces challenges at a national level, but at a local level as well. ESOL teacher Lisa Holland interacts daily with students whose second language is Spanish and noted the struggles they face.
“Our district has focused on equity and diversity for decades, but it has rarely centered Hispanic students, families and their community in those discussions and policies, and the Hispanic community has noticed this exclusion,” Holland said. “Having bilingual hispanic staff and administrators at the school would be a great start as well as having a full-time interpreter at the building.”
Although Hispanic students benefit from ESOL and Heritage Spanish classes, they are among the only resources that have been provided to them. Many are still challenged in the other required on-level classes.“There’s not a lot of support for this community, and that puts the administrators and teachers here in a tough situation,” Gorman said. “To start, we need representation in the main [district] building. I think teachers need to be more aware of the needs of these people.”
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to an end, it’s important we remember the impact this community has on our school and make sure that we highlight their strengths while also condemning the system that challenges them.
“I think that is what LHS could do to better the environment, give Hispanic students opportunities to have their voices heard and their Hispanic heritage celebrated,” Holland said.