| Residents of the Dominican Republic, especially the | | | | children anyway. |
| impoverished ones, have long viewed the United | | | | The Dominican immigrant home environment is |
| States and especially New York City as a land of | | | | not always conducive to learning. For impoverished |
| limitless wealth. All you have to do is live there for | | | | families in the Dominican Republic, education is not |
| a few years, and you too will be wealthy. | | | | a priority, as it is with the wealthy families there. |
| This erroneous vision was fostered in the 1980s | | | | Though early schooling is free for children, it is |
| with the crack epidemic centered in Washington | | | | seen as a costly endeavor for families just trying |
| Heights, an area located north of New York City | | | | to make ends meet. Clothing for school, meals, |
| and predominantly populated by Dominican | | | | school supplies, books, and transportation are |
| immigrants. Thousands of dollars in cash were | | | | luxuries for such families. According to the World |
| sent back to the families, who still lived in the | | | | Bank, 13 percent of children ages 7-14 work |
| Dominican Republic. | | | | outside the home, rather than attend school. |
| Though the days of easy money have passed, | | | | According to Unicef, 16 percent of children ages |
| the Dominican poor still believe that, if only family | | | | 10-17 are illiterate. Usually, one or both parents |
| member can reach the U.S. and remain for a few | | | | have little or no education, due to less long-term |
| years, he or she could bring the entire family | | | | educational exposure for children of poorer |
| remaining in the Dominican Republic out of | | | | families. Is it any wonder they may resent the |
| poverty. Thus, the Dominican Republic is the | | | | mandatory law for their children to attend the |
| largest exporter of immigrants to the New York | | | | New York City schools? |
| City schools. Dominican immigrants now comprise | | | | Though cultural differences present a major |
| ten percent of the 1.1 million students in the New | | | | obstacle, language is the biggest difficulty for |
| York City schools. | | | | these immigrant children in the New York City |
| These young New York City schools immigrants | | | | schools. According to Robert Mercedes, Principal |
| face particularly difficult problems as they attempt | | | | of Middle School 390 in the Bronx and President |
| to acclimate into American society. They face the | | | | of the Association of Dominican-American |
| pressures to integrate at school, while facing the | | | | Supervisors and Administrators, Dominican children |
| pressures to remain the same at home. Parents | | | | arrive at the New York City schools lacking the |
| too face challenges with the New York City | | | | basic native-language skills of the Dominican |
| schools. | | | | Republic. This makes transitioning them into the |
| The first problem is culture shock. In the | | | | English language even more difficult. |
| Dominican Republic, children always must defer to | | | | They feel like outsiders in the New York City |
| their elders and hold their tongues, having no way | | | | schools. They are in a language and cultural |
| to express their own feelings or opinions. In | | | | isolation. They are generally dumped into bilingual |
| contrast, children quickly learn in the New York | | | | classes at low-income schools, and feel more of a |
| City schools that American children are vital | | | | burden to the New York City schools than an |
| members of society, like any adult. They realize | | | | equal to the other students. The victim mentality |
| that adults care what they think. They become | | | | takes over for many of these youth, who |
| more outspoken both at school and at home, | | | | separate themselves into close-knit ethnic groups. |
| finding the social freedoms compelling and | | | | They are especially vulnerable to street gang |
| liberating. | | | | recruitment, which pervades the areas around the |
| Parents feel themselves losing control of their | | | | ghetto-like atmosphere of some of the New York |
| children, who are shedding their cultural restrictions. | | | | City schools they attend. |
| They view New York City schools children as | | | | On one side, the New York City schools are a |
| arrogant and flamboyant, with no respect for | | | | haven of new opportunities for the Dominican |
| their elders. Such contrasting expectations | | | | children and their parents. Yet, these same |
| between children and parents cause stress at | | | | opportunities can be the downfall of the immigrant |
| home. Of course, many parents blame the New | | | | family values and the children, as well. It is a |
| York City schools for their children adopting these | | | | dual-edged sword, afflicted with stressful |
| attributes, where they did not wish to send their | | | | difficulties and insurmountable obstacles for many. |