To the editors:
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The hardships of newcomers to the U.S. are universal to all races. To deny this fact is absurd; all said and done, family background is no scapegoat for the inability of an educational system’s failure. Arriving from Puerto Rico (Vieques Is.) at the age of eleven was the best thing that ever happened to me.
One 6th grade teacher stands forever in my thoughts; God Bless Her. She put it to me very simple: “Either learn English or go back to Puerto Rico.” My anger went to work for me. I proved to her before school was out that I was worthy of living here in this country.
Today, through hard work and sacrifice, my daughter attends DePaul with three academic scholarships–my son is in honors at Gordon Tech–my four-year-old says his ABCs while singing in the bathroom. None of my kids speak Spanish. In fact they understand Polish better than Spanish. I’m proud of my Latin background, but it’s never put bread and butter on the table.
