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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - The Philippine American Press Club (PAPC) USA, partnered with the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), tackled pressing problems besetting Filipino American students from K-12 in the American public school system.
In the PAPC’s quarterly Kapihan at the West Bay Pilipino Multi-Center in the heart of South of Market, concerns of local schools in Seattle and San Francisco had been developed into full-blown research on how students are coping in ten major cities with large Filipino populations. The center and a public school nearby might just as well have been ground zero for Filipino students coping in an inner city setting and its socio-cultural and economic factors.
The Bessie Carmichael Elementary School/Filipino Education Center with a 52% Filipino student population is lucky to have a Filipino principal who understands both the negative and positive influences affecting his students. Jeffrey Burgos, principal for the past five years, empathized with the group’s concerns but also stated that the findings were not atypical of Filipinos but applied to all the ethnics.
In the panel to discuss the “High Drop-out Rate and Low Performance of FilAm Students” was a mix of academicians and community advocates: Jeffrey Burgos; Hydra Mendoza, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s education adviser; Thelma Boac, principal of Silver Creek High School in San Jose; Ruby Munoz, Alameda Commissioner for the early childhood education program Head Start; Rodel Rodis, member of the City College board; and Anthony Barretto Ogilvie, Ed.D, executive dean of Continuing and Professional Education, Seattle Central Community College.
Moderators were Henni Espinosa of ABS-CBN Channel Network and Rudy Asercion, executive director of West Bay.
The most pressing issue was how to alleviate the problem of dropouts and, even more compelling, the high suicide incidence among FilAm high school students. Not only are there academic challenges to consider; there too are emotional and physical growth, social values, peer pressure, economics and language difficulties that strain student performance.
Johanna Navarro, a psychologist in the audience, recommended the development of intervention projects to help the students. Hydra Mendoza and Burgos said such programs are in place, but school environment, the home and parenting are major factors too.
Someone recalled, “It takes a village to educate a child.” How wise were our forebears in the Philippines where extended families keep an eye on all the children, making sure that they toe the line and adhere to the family dream of a better future through the best education possible.
But the reality is that we are now in America, where the family ties are not as strong, even fragmented. With more urgent needs like putting food on the table and a roof over their heads dislodging the dream of a better tomorrow, education plays second fiddle. With monetary concerns to the fore, even the aspirations of students are focused on where it’s easier to excel and bring the best returns, like nursing. Rocket scientist? Doctor? Electrical Engineering? Law? Politics? Journalism? No, nursing.
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