What is happening with housing in Porterville? The average house now starts at about $200,000 for while rents ranges from about $500 to $1,000. This makes no sense whatsoever when one realizes that Porterville consistently suffers from double-digit unemployment. According to an According to an AP article Tulare County, has a higher poverty rate than the Appalachian region – 20.5 percent compared to 13.6 percent. For a city of about 40,000 we also have a large population of homeless people. There is a colony of homeless people living on the banks of Tule River which traverses the outskirts of Porterville. It is obvious that people live out there because of all the disposed products that one finds out there. The economy of Porterville is based on agriculture. Many paisanos work in the fields for low pay and no benefits. One can break their back working for most of the year jumping around from the grape harvest to the olive and orange harvest. The other big employer is a Wal-Mart distribution center. Everything else is retail, fast-food, and who knows what. Back to the housing issue. How is it possible that homes are selling anywhere from $150,000 to $300,000? How is the average person supposed to buy a house when we take into consideration that the average household income of a Portervillian is less than $30,000. In their hey day my parents had a whopping combined income of $27,000, working as farm workers. This is probably still the high end of the farm worker pay scale. The awful truth is that farm workers are actually making less then they did twenty or thirty years ago when one takes into consideration inflation. With this type of income the average person in Porterville is simply trying to stay above water. According to the 2000 Census 25.7% of the population of Porterville, fell below the poverty rate. In 2000 56.4% of Portervillians owned a home. I can bet that the number will not grow from here to the next census. Like Marvin Gaye sang “…makes me want to holla’ the way they do my life…this ain’t living.”
Monthly Archive for February, 2005
I can’t wait until Coachella. When I was younger I hated the city of Coachella because I associated it with picking grapes in 120 degree weather, which I did alongside my brothers. The only good thing about the grape harvest was that the vineyard companies don’t give a rat’s ass if we threw a rotten bunch here and there (baja la uva cabron!). But I digress. Last year I missed out on the Coachella Music Festival but this year I have to get back. There is no way I can miss out on Nine Inch Nails, Coldplay, Weezer and Café Tacvba, all in one weekend.
On another note, the Raiders got Randy Moss. Can it be that the greatness of the Raiders is once more? Or is this another Warren Sapp type signing? Ah, forget about football for now. Baseball season is starting up again. I can already envision myself watching the Detroit Tigers play in California. This year I get to watch the Tigers play at Pac Bell Park (I know its called SBC park but Pac Bell sounds better), at Dodger Stadium, at Angels Stadium and at Network Associates. I can just about smell the scent of freshly cut grass and hear some opposing fan screaming in my ear how much the Tigers suck. Ah yes, the life of a Tiger’s fan that lives in Cali, the hardships that I must endure. The Tigers will win the Central this year. That’s right I said it. Take that, all you Twins and White Sox fans.
La nostalgia me ha invadido tantas veces
que ya tengo miedo deh acerme daño,
intenté la combustión con colonia Samborn’s
y traté de ahogarme en el excusado.
Me he tirado ya tres o cuatro veces
de un acantilado y de un edificio,
que no ves que quiero que me salves
antes de que logre cometer suicidio.
Y me compré un escuter para tirarme al mar,
pero es que el mar está muy lejos,
y me he metido cuarenta nembutales ya
y sólo tengo este pinche viaje.
La nostalgia me ha invadido
que no ves que quiero que me salves
antes de que logre cometer suicidio
listen to / Cafe Tacvba
read / La Jornada
After reading Mariposa Atomica and Elena Mary write about the fascist actions of a Colorado School District which has nothing better to do than ban books you just have to scratch your head and ask yourself why would they not want students to read these books? What can be so bad that schools are burning books so that they wont be accessible to students. I guess Ray Bradbury had things just right in Fahrenheit 451. Days earlier I had read an article at Tolerance.org discussing this issue which is affecting many school districts across the country. According to the American Library Association the following 100 books are the most challenged by school districts across the
2. Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
4. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
5. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
7. Harry Potter (Series) by J.K. Rowling
8. Forever by Judy Blume
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. Alice (Series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
11. Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
12. My Brother Sam is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
13. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
14. The Giver by Lois Lowry
15. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
16. Goosebumps (Series) by R.L. Stine
17. A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck
18. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
19. Sex by Madonna
20. Earth’s Children (Series) by Jean M. Auel
21. The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
22. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
23. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
24. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
25. In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
26. The Stupids (Series) by Harry Allard
27. The Witches by Roald Dahl
28. The New Joy of Gay Sex by Charles Silverstein
29. Anastasia Krupnik (Series) by Lois Lowry
30. The Goats by Brock Cole
31. Kaffir Boy by Mark Mathabane
32. Blubber by Judy Blume
33. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
34. Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
35. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
36. Final Exit by Derek Humphry
37. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
38. Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George
39. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
40. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Girls by Lynda Madaras
41. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
42. Beloved by Toni Morrison
43. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
44. The Pigman by Paul Zindel
45. Bumps in the Night by Harry Allard
46. Deenie by Judy Blume
47. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
48. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden
49. The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
50. Cross Your Fingers, Spit in Your Hat by Alvin Schwartz
51. A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
52. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
53. Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by A.N. Roquelaure (Anne Rice)
54. Asking About Sex and Growing Up by Joanna Cole
55. Cujo by Stephen King
56. James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
57. The Anarchist Cookbook by William Powell
58. Boys and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
59. Ordinary People by Judith Guest
60. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
61. What’s Happening to my Body? Book for Boys by Lynda Madaras
62. Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume
63. Crazy Lady by Jane Conly
64. Athletic Shorts by Chris Crutcher
65. Fade by Robert Cormier
66. Guess What? by Mem Fox
67. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende
68. The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline Cooney
69. Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
70. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
71. Native Son by Richard Wright
72. Women on Top: How Real Life Has Changed Women’s Fantasies by Nancy Friday
73. Curses, Hexes and Spells by Daniel Cohen
74. Jack by A.M. Homes
75. Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya
76. Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle
77. Carrie by Stephen King
78. Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
79. On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
80. Arizona Kid by Ron Koertge
81. Family Secrets by Norma Klein
82. Mommy Laid An Egg by Babette Cole
83. The Dead Zone by Stephen King
84. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
85. Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
86. Always Running by Luis Rodriguez
87. Private Parts by Howard Stern
88. Where’s Waldo? by Martin Hanford
89. Summer of My German Soldier by Bette Greene
90. Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman
91. Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
92. Running Loose by Chris Crutcher
93. Sex Education by Jenny Davis
94. The Drowning of Stephen Jones by Bette Greene
95. Girls and Sex by Wardell Pomeroy
96. How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
97. View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts
98. The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
99. The Terrorist by Caroline Cooney
100. Jump Ship to Freedom by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
read / American Library Association
I have had this discussion with friends and family and we all tend to agree that students that receive their elementary education in Mexico are much better students than those that receive their education here in the states. Why is this? Why is it that migrant students (students that have recently arrived from a different country but in my area’s case from Mexico) are more respectful than their counterparts? To me respect is an essential part of the educational process. Students must respect their teachers. As a substitute-teacher I realized that this isn’t the case. Keep in mind though, that schooling in Mexico is much different than here in the states. For one, students have to wear uniforms, corporal punishment tends to be a part of student discipline (I believe that this is unnecessary), more importantly though, as a Los Angeles Times article found, there is tremendous parental support of schools. When comparing the resources of American and Mexican schools there is no comparison. Even the most under sourced school in the States is better equipped than the average school in Mexico. The problem that tends to affect most schools in my area is lack of participation by parents in the education of their children. Many reasons for lack of involvement are beyond the parents control. I understand that to live in the States both parents have to work but what about those parents that don’t work? Parents expect schools to teach their kids no matter what. They are quick to tell you how to do your job. In Mexico students drop out of school not because they are bored of school or because they “hate school,” but instead due to economics. Parents cannot afford to send their kids to school.
Why don’t we value education in the States?
I actually finished the second week of Student-Teaching. Although I am happy that I am getting closer to completing the requirements for the damn California teaching credential, it is disheartening that at least once a day I feel like quitting. The stranger part is that even though I have these thoughts of ‘throwing in the towel,’ the following day I am reenergized and ready for more. I wonder if this is normal. Does every profession have such highs and lows? One thing that I have learned though is that a few students really ruin it for everyone else. I would say that out of a class of thirty, there are only five students that are troublemakers. Well, it is not that they are creating chaos but they take too much of a teachers time when dealing with them for disciplinary issues. I still do not understand how a school can deal effectively with disruptive students or with students that refuse to do their work. The parents can make a world of a difference, but not all are willing to do their part. It seems as though instead of school being a place of learning, it is a free day care. In two weeks I have sat in on four parent conferences due to student apathy/misbehavior/etc.
1. Student M. has many problems. Among them, he never completes his homework, he refuses to shower, and is lazy in the classroom. The dad was very upset with student and the student was crying but soon after the conference he was back to his apathetic ways. M. is unable to complete his math unless I sit with him in the back and guide him trough all the problems.
2. Student H. does not follow directions and is constantly talking to neighbors. During the conference H. is seen stretching his arms out and yawning. H. tells his mother that the teacher (my master teacher-MT) is lying. After the conference H. can be seen laughing while his mother and the teacher are finishing up the meeting.
3. Student A.’s father comes in and immediately A. gets mad. A. states that his mother should have come instead. MT explains to dad that A. has been off task and disruptive. The dad is not very effective in instilling fear in son. MT explains that if A.’s attitude doesn’t change she will be forced to require one of his parents to sit in during the school day so that they can monitor their child. This of course is ineffective in scaring A. because he immediately responds that he wants his mom to accompany him.
4. Student J. is a good kid but lately has been acting up and has become a tad bit rebellious. Now this is the kind of teacher/parent conference that I like. Immediately, J.’s mother begins to lecture the student in front of the teacher. It is obvious that J. is very afraid of his mother and the following day J. is a totally different student. That is good. Why did J.’s behavior change so drastically? His mother sat in with the class for the entire day.
Who said that substitute teaching was the worst aspect of teaching? Yeah right. Substitute teaching was a breeze compared to all the stress that one endures in the classroom.
*The Burton School District Teachers got their well deserved raise. Of course, this didn’t happen without the teachers organizing and fighting for what they deserve. All was not well though. The teachers will now have to contribute $50 monthly for their health insurance “benefits.”
The following is an email I received :
Start putting out the word…the reunion is approaching!!! The date has been set for Saturday, June 4th at Nuckols Ranch in Porterville. The tickets will be $40 a person and the theme is Vegas Style. There will be funny money and tables to gamble at for fun and prizes. R., W., J. and C. are putting all the finishing touches together and have been doing an awesome job. It really is going to be a great night! So start telling people and make your plans.
-F.C.
Class of ‘95 Pres.
Damn, I am old!
Diana Godinez has been standing for nearly two hours. The 10th-grader’s violin bow whips dutifully through the air as she runs through her part of “Toro Coquito” for the dozenth time.The guitars across from her lay the sonic groundwork for the violins’ syncopated counterpoint and the trumpets’ bright blasts. An hour after the final school bell, the powerful sounds of 16 students ricochet off the green walls of the Rancho High School band room and spill out the door.Godinez, 15, is one of 1,100 students learning the Mexican folk music of mariachi in classes taught by Clark County public schools. The 3-year-old program, which has doubled in size since its inception, has seven full-time teachers instructing students in guitar and violin at 10 middle and high schools.The program, embraced by students and the school district, is the largest of its kind nationwide. But it also drew criticism late last year from taxpayer groups that saw it as an example of wasteful government spending: Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate minority leader, helped secure $25,000 for the program in this year’s $388-billion federal budget.Taxpayers for Common Sense, a budget watchdog group based in Washington, singled out the program for criticism.”Every dollar going to mariachi music is a dollar that’s not going to some other national priority,” said Steve Ellis, the group’s vice president for programs. The mariachi classes are among 12,000 local efforts designated for special federal funding that totals about $15 billion.Supporters of the mariachi program dismiss the critics. They say the program has the power to keep at-risk students — many of whom are Latino — engaged in school.Javier Trujillo, project coordinator for mariachi instruction in the Clark County School District, said $25,000 was “the average price to keep a juvenile in the prison system per year. Now you apply that same amount of money to education — you’re impacting thousands of student lives.”The district, with 281,000 students, is the nation’s fifth-largest. Mariachi classes are concentrated in North Las Vegas schools, which are predominantly Latino, though the program is not exclusive to those students.The key to the success of the program is the “marriage of schools and community,” said John Mahlmann, executive director of the National Assn. for Music Education. “It’s a terrible shame to have a dividing line of what happens in school and what happens at home.”Although there are hundreds of smaller mariachi programs around the country, Clark County’s is notable for its rigorous academic requirements and standardized curriculum.The program gained the support of the music educators’ group, which hopes to use Clark County’s template to establish mariachi courses and other specialized music programs elsewhere.”What it really does is it gives kids a connection to their culture,” said Milana Winter, principal of Jim Bridger Middle School in North Las Vegas, where mariachi classes are in their second year. Since the program began, Winter has noticed a jump in parent participation at school events.”Parents feel more welcome at school when there’s something” familiar, Winter said. She estimates that about one-fifth of Bridger parents speak English.Edsel Lemus, a sophomore at Rancho High, said his parents thought it was “cool” that he practiced every day with Gabriel Cadena’s advanced mariachi class. When his parents showed up at one of his concerts, he said, “it was the first time they ever supported me. They said they were proud — that felt good.”"I’m not on the streets trying to do bad things,” said Lemus, who plays the vihuela, a guitar-shaped lute. Lemus and nine of his friends formed their own mariachi group, Mariachi Aguila. Wearing matching black windbreakers, they’ve played $400-an-hour gigs.Cadena, a first-year teacher, has struggled to help his mariachi students excel in other subjects.”All these kids want to do is go to the band room and practice,” Cadena said. He requires his advanced ensemble of 20 to earn grades of B or better on their report cards. Not only have several students boosted their grades, but the performers stay after school every day — voluntarily — to practice an extra hour or three.Their enthusiasm stems from the excitement of the music, Cadena said. Mariachi “gets all the juices running in the body,” he said after an afternoon spent leading a lively practice session.Support from across the school district has helped the program grow. Clark County Supt. Carlos Garcia calls the program “fabulous” and expects it to expand to more schools next year. There are tentative plans to offer a Mexican folk dancing program next year.”There are not that many opportunities for at-risk Hispanic kids to be successful,” Cadena said. “It’s good to see a lot of these kids involved in something; if they weren’t in mariachi, they wouldn’t be in anything.”The class is preparing for a performance next month at the American String Teachers Assn. Conference in Reno. For many students, traveling to the show will mean their first time on an airplane.The music — and a sense of belonging — keeps sophomore violinist Godinez at school long after the sixth-period bell has chimed.Mariachi, Godinez says, is “the language that I speak.”
read / The Los Angeles Times