By Michel Leidermann

LITTLE ROCK — A recent report unveiled that 375 public schools in Arkansas did not achieve the goals set by law in the "No Child Left Behind Act.".

According to results released on Friday, October 31, there was an increase in the number of schools in Arkansas that failed to meet the targets set by law and because of low scores of its students in math and reading and writing on state exams, now face sanctions ranging from student transfers to other schools, until their closures.

Three hundred seventy-five public schools, out of a total of 1087 in the state, were classified as needing to improve their performance on the basis of results of examinations of Reference (Benchmark) and end-of-course, according to notes taken in the most recent round of exams taken last spring.

Last year 325 schools were in need of improvements, 50 less than this year.

Filed 22 de Noviembre, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK — On October 14, the Chief of Police of North Little Rock, Danny Bradle, was invited to appear on the weekly radio show La Pantera on 1440 AM, together with the Little Rock Mexican Consul.

North Little Rock Police Chief, Danny Bradle, joins Little Rock Mexican Consul Andres Chao on La Pantera radio program.

This particular program was intended to send the message that the Latino community can trust the police and invited the listeners to report when they are victims of a crime or if they witness some crime, regardless of their immigration status.

Little Rock police like that of North Little Rock have assured the Consul, Andres Chao, that they need the cooperation of the Latino community to be able to apprehend individual offenders.

In addition to calling to report crimes, complaint forms in Spanish are available on the home page of El Latino (www.ellatinoarkansas.com) in the list under Formularios/Forms.

Filed 25 de Octubre, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK — According to a recent study, the abuse of prescription drugs by adolescents in Arkansas who are between the ages of 12 to 17-years-old is higher than in any other state in the nation. However, Arkansas adolescents are not the only ones experiencing this problem. In fact, abuse of prescription drugs is a persistent problem, rarely discussed, that affects millions of adolescents.

A February 2007 study from the Office of National Drug Control reported that: "After marijuana, the most common illegal drugs among adolescents are prescription medicines." Teenagers are abusing these drugs because they believe the myth that these drugs are more safe.

"This false idea leads some teenagers to take prescription drugs from their home to share with schoolmates or take part in parties where the drugs are mixed with drinks or exchange the pills with others who want to take them.

Some things you can do to keep your teenager from abusing drugs are:

1. Monitor the number of pills that are in a package and don't lose sight of them. This applies to every member of the family's medicine.

2. Set clear rules for your teens on the use of any drugs, including not sharing drugs, and always follow the advice and dosages of the pharmacist.

3. Be a good role model in following the same rules for your own medicines. If you act badly with your medicine and share them with your children or abuse them, your children will notice.

4. Throw away old or unused medicine properly. Remember to remove any labels or personal information about the prescription of before throwing them away.

5. Ask your friends and relatives who to do the same. Make sure your friends and relatives,
especially grandparents, also know about the risks of prescription medicine abuse and encourage them to regularly review their own drawer of medicines. If you don't know the parents of your children' friends, make an effort to get to know them and agree on the rules and expectations about the use of drugs, including alcohol and illegal drugs.

The Attorney General of Arkansas, Dustin McDaniel encourages all parents to sit down and talk to their
teenage children about safe and unsafe ways of use prescription drugs.

To learn more about the abuse of prescription drugs for adolescents, including how to determine whether your teen is abusing prescription drugs, visit the following Internet sites:
• http://www.drugfree.org/
• http://www.theantidrug.com/
• http://www.kidshealth.org/
• http://www.teendrugabuse.us/

For additional information on other topics of consumer, contact the Department of Protection Public of the Attorney General's Office, Suite 200, at 323 Center Street, Little Rock, AR 72201. You can call the office at 682-2341 (Little Rock) or 1-800-482-8982 or online at: www.arkansasag.gov.

Filed 19 de Septiembre, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

LITTLE ROCK — According to a recent study, the abuse of prescription drugs by adolescents in Arkansas who are between the ages of 12 to 17-years-old is higher than in any other state in the nation. However, Arkansas adolescents are not the only ones experiencing this problem. In fact, abuse of prescription drugs is a persistent problem, rarely discussed, that affects millions of adolescents.

A February 2007 study from the Office of National Drug Control reported that: "After marijuana, the most common illegal drugs among adolescents are prescription medicines." Teenagers are abusing these drugs because they believe the myth that these drugs are more safe.

"This false idea leads some teenagers to take prescription drugs from their home to share with schoolmates or take part in parties where the drugs are mixed with drinks or exchange the pills with others who want to take them.

Some things you can do to keep your teenager from abusing drugs are:

1. Monitor the number of pills that are in a package and don't lose sight of them. This applies to every member of the family's medicine.

2. Set clear rules for your teens on the use of any drugs, including not sharing drugs, and always follow the advice and dosages of the pharmacist.

3. Be a good role model in following the same rules for your own medicines. If you act badly with your medicine and share them with your children or abuse them, your children will notice.

4. Throw away old or unused medicine properly. Remember to remove any labels or personal information about the prescription of before throwing them away.

5. Ask your friends and relatives who to do the same. Make sure your friends and relatives,
especially grandparents, also know about the risks of prescription medicine abuse and encourage them to regularly review their own drawer of medicines. If you don't know the parents of your children' friends, make an effort to get to know them and agree on the rules and expectations about the use of drugs, including alcohol and illegal drugs.

The Attorney General of Arkansas, Dustin McDaniel encourages all parents to sit down and talk to their
teenage children about safe and unsafe ways of use prescription drugs.

To learn more about the abuse of prescription drugs for adolescents, including how to determine whether your teen is abusing prescription drugs, visit the following Internet sites:
• http://www.drugfree.org/
• http://www.theantidrug.com/
• http://www.kidshealth.org/
• http://www.teendrugabuse.us/

For additional information on other topics of consumer, contact the Department of Protection Public of the Attorney General's Office, Suite 200, at 323 Center Street, Little Rock, AR 72201. You can call the office at 682-2341 (Little Rock) or 1-800-482-8982 or online at: www.arkansasag.gov.

Filed 19 de Septiembre, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (2)

LITTLE ROCK — A donation from IBM is now allowing parents with limited English skills to communicate with their children's teachers through a new online translation program.

"Tradúcelo Now," a program available in about 270 schools in Arkansas, enables translations of web pages and e-mails from English into Spanish and vice versa.

The program removes the language barrier between teachers, parents and students by allowing users to translate emails into their native language. An email sent in English can be translated into Spanish. When someone replied in Spanish, this will be translated into English.

The translations are not perfect but at least convey the idea and this is already a great help.

With " Tradúcelo Now:"

• Parents can communicate with teachers of their children.
• Schools can all communicate with their students and their families.
• Doctors and patients can share information related to medicine and appointments
• People who are looking for work can find jobs available in their language.

Since the schools have already partnered with Tradúcelo Now, limited English-speaking parents need only to register with an authorized email account created by the public schools, use a computer with Internet access and sign up at the Tradúcelo Now online portal.

The School District of North Little Rock recently joined the IBM system translator, said Maria Touchstone, its director of educational programs for English as a second language ESL.

"We hope that the translation service will help us to keep us better informed and involved with children's education," said Maria.

Filed 6 de Septiembre, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

Condensed translation of article: At the end of July, agents from the federal bureau of Immigration and Customs (ICE) arrested 13 Latino workers at a boat manufacturing company, Waco Manufacturing North Little Rock. The workers were suspected of being undocumented.

ICE agents had received a tip that the company had hired undocumented immigrants. The 3 Mexicans and 10 Guatemalans face charges of having entered the U.S. illegally and using false Social Security which is a federal crime and carries a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 and 3 years of probation.

A prosecutor said it would be possible for the immigrants not to go to jail if they plead guilty and then would be sentenced to time served already and deported. However, their criminal records will be kept on file and they will face tougher penalties if they return to the country illegally.

The Mexican and Guatemalan consulates were advised that two of the detainees did not want to utilize their consulates legal services.

This is the third raid conducted this year by ICE in Arkansas. The three raids this year in Arkansas have been on Wednesdays, a day that seems to be a fateful day for undocumented workers.

Filed 10 de Agosto, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

Trying to stem the flow of undocumented immigrants from sneaking into the country at the Arizona/Mexico border, the U.S. Border Patrol constructed a barrier and gate in an underground tunnel discovered leading from Nogales, Mexico into Tucson, Arizona.

The only trouble is that the U.S. Border Patrol built the barrier on Mexico's side. They now have to tear it down and answer to charges from the Mexican government that the barrier contributed to $8 million in flood damage caused by a storm on July 12.

Ignacio Delgado stands in front of his sandbag-bolstered photo shop on what's commonly known as Calle Elias in Nogales, Sonora. Delgado said his business suffered more than $1,000 in damage.
(Source: Arizona Daily Star/Photos By Kelly Presnell)

Mexican officials cite technical data in showing that the barrier reduced the water flow produced by the storm by almost 40 percent. Because of the pressure and the age of the drainage system on the Mexican side of the border, it broke causing damaging flooding.

Mexico has issued a formal complaint against the flood damage and requesting either repairs or money.

Filed 9 de Agosto, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

By Michel Leidermann

Several University of Arkansas researchers, coordinated by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), presented the results of a special 240-page report, titled “Arkansas 2020” to state legislators last Tuesday, May 13, during a joint meeting of Senate committees on Children and Youth, and the Department of Aging, Children and Youth and Military Affairs.

The report was completed in January 2007, but its publication was delayed due to a schedule too full of the last legislative session.

The report revealed that as expected, demographic changes will put new demands on all aspects of the state: its infrastructure, education and social services, health care and public safety. There will be more "arkansonianos" senior citizens living in the state that year than at any time in its history.

It suggested that there is an increased need for bilingual staff to help with the recruitment and training of Latinos, many of whom are not proficient in English.

The report suggests that Arkansas has to prepare for the great demographic changes and its changing needs and expectations and their future impact on state services, before it is too late.

The state population is expected to rise to 3.58 million in 2020, compared to 2.83 million from 2007 and 2.67 million in 2000.

Between 2000 and 2020, the number of people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, is expected to grow 70% to 378,741, and the number of people between ages 70 and 79 years will grow by 38% to 233,597.

The number of Latinos in Arkansas is expected to nearly triple the 86,866 of 2000, to 240,404 in 2020, according to projections based on official Census numbers. If counting Latinos who did not participate in the Census, and based on these estimates, the number of Latinos could exceed 300 thousand that year.

The Arkansas 2020 report requested several Arkansas state agencies to identify the challenges that future demographic changes would bring, and now the next step is to develop a plan for how the state will be responsible for solving the problems cited in the report. Several state agencies surveyed, said they did not have the resources, personnel or technology to address, control or the planning to meet future needs.

The Arkansas Department of Health, anticipates an increasing emphasis on prevention and management of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension and obesity, a need for more resources to regulate
hospitals and nursing homes, and greater monitoring of certain infectious diseases, according to the report.

The Department of Human Services will have to fulfill the need for more services for children and the disabled, and more staff who speak Spanish.

The higher education system in Arkansas, expects to be heavily affected in the next 12 years, when more teachers, administrators and university officials reach the age of retirement.

More than 20 state agencies participated in the study, including the departments of Health, Human Services, Education, Correction, Roads and Transportation, Finance and Administration and the Office of the Attorney-General.

Filed 8 de Junio, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

By Michel Leidermann

LITTLE ROCK — The recent formation of “Secure Arkansas” and the approval by the Attorney General to continue his bill to cut public services of undocumented immigrants, has made it clear the hysteria of many and their absolute lack of interest in knowing fully the problem of immigration and the costs and contributions from immigrants in Arkansas.

The President of Secure Arkansas, Jeannie Burlsworth said that this is a small organization of volunteers who want to ensure that the state does not spend money from taxes on services for foreigners in irregular situations (undocumented aliens), including college tuition as an Arkansas resident and licenses for managing and opening a business.

The bill called “An Act to prevent persons illegally present in the United States to receive certain public benefits” and which corresponds to the number 2008-084, must gather 61,974 signatures from registered voters by July 7 to be able to be included on the ballot of the general vote on November 4.

In my opinion, the most probable is that it’s likely to get it, but thanks to a statement by Governor Mike Beebe, intelligent people of the state will realize that the proposal has no effect on immigrants, because the few services they receive from the state (public education, emergency medical care, care for communicable diseases, immunizations and prenatal care for approved mothers in Arkansas), are authorized by federal and state laws. This was noted by the governor.

To justify her position, Burlsworth has said things such as: “We don’t have protection from the illegals and if we avoid giving utilities, Arkansas will not become a sanctuary state.” Also: “We are in a real fight. This is very bad. These people are dangerous” (Is she referring to the construction worker or the hotel maid?)

Likewise, she said that she is afraid that the USA is associated with Canada and Mexico to build a new super transcontinental highway and form a North American Union in which the US will lose its sovereignty. Our Constitution is in jeopardy.

In an interview with journalists from ARDEMGAZ which took place in a coffee shop in Jonesboro (public place), Burlsworth refused to give the names of her husband and other family members, for fear of what those who oppose her bill could do to them. She ordered her daughter-in-law to not give her name to a journalist.

Where does this lady get these conspiracy theories?

On the other hand she said that "We can’t endure anymore. We need secure borders. We need an immigration policy. Lawmakers have not done anything. We are forced to subsidize illegal immigrants. Enough is enough."

In reference to the last point, she is right. We need a secure border but without walls and with easy access to commercial trade and labor. We urgently need a practical immigration policy, fair, and humanitarian that satisfies the needs of the U.Sl workforce and guarantees the humane treatment and civil rights of immigrants, the same immigrants contributing millions to U.S. Social Security without the slightest possibility of benefiting from it when they retire here or there (Remember the braceros?).

The Secure Arkansas proposal does not solve the basic problem, but brings to the forefront again perorata of racist nationalists who do not understand anything about immigration but that used to blame all ills.

The Secure Arkansas proposal does not solve the basic problem but shines anew on the long speeches of racist nationalists who understand nothing about immigration but who use it to blame for everything bad.

Filed 2 de Junio, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

By Michel Leidermann

The Real Problem
Education Begins at Home

The real educational problem in Arkansas is not the run down schools or the teachers’ lack of effort to help their students who are struggling most, or that kids are not provided incentives to pass the necessary exams. The real problem is the lack of motivation to study; this motivation begins at home and is based in part by the example of motivation and expectations provided by the parents.

Parents are the most important influence in a child’s life. Children learn to socialize based on the socialization they experience with their parents. They also learn how to react to situations and how to obtain information from their parents. Therefore, parents, if you believe that your children are not becoming educated in the schools due to the lack of better buildings or bad teachers and other things of the sort, first see what your children are learning at home. It all begins there.

It Takes Two to Tango
The one who drinks is as guilty as the one who provides the drink

We are facing the worst mortgage crisis in our history and we generally blame the large
banking corporations and lenders for their insatiable desire to make money. But, could it be our own stupidity and ambition what makes us at fault?

Continue reading "Counterpoints" »

Filed 12 de Mayo, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

By Michel Leidermann

In 2008 about 1,500 Latino students will graduate from high school in Arkansas according to the estimates made by the Interstate Commission on Higher Education. According to the report, Latinos comprise 5% of the graduates from public high schools in the state.

The number of Latino graduates is up because of their traditionally large families. That and the arrival of more immigrants will make Caucasian students the minority in secondary schools in the United States in a decade, while the number of African American students continues to decline.

The United States still does not understand that one of every five children is the child of immigrants. These numbers mean that Latinos will be the ones to fill the jobs left by retiring Baby Boomers; they will also be the ones to keep the United States competitive in the global economy.

Continue reading "Will the Latino youth break away from the past? " »

Filed 12 de Mayo, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)

By Michel Leidermann

The national television network NBC presented on Monday, March 24 at 9 in the morning, on the Today Show program, a segment about Laura Luz Castillo-Bahena, a 14-year-old who recounts her life as a Little Rock resident, filming and narrating her joys and her pain living the American Dream in Arkansas while overcoming the obstacles that face her as a Latina.

Laura is the daughter of Laura Castillo-Bahena, a Latina activist who directs the youth soccer league at the community center on Baseline Road in Little Rock and is part of the organizing committee for the Cinco de Mayo fiesta of LULAC chapter 750.

The producers of the program gave Laura Luz a video camera to document her life during a couple of months. The narration by Laura Luz says in some parts: “My name is Laura Luz Castillo-Bahena. I am 14-years-old and am in the 9th grade at Central High School. I live in Little Rock, Arkansas. I sing and dance and act in theater and am involved in many other activities. I also play soccer in the Youth Soccer Association, which is directed by my mother, on a girls team for 12-14-year-olds. I sing every year at the Cinco de Mayo fiesta and in other important places like Earth Day. I acted in the stage play ‘The King and I’ in the Little Rock Rep theatre. During the months I taped for the Today Show, I realized that I do many things, and even visited different places, and I discovered that my family really is very united.”

The video shows Laura receiving her camera and later getting ready to dance together with her girlfriends in the ballet folklorico group, she talks about the pain she sometimes feels when people call her “wetback” despite the fact she is American. Also, it shows the bullet holes on a house, something that she considers to be almost routine. But she affirms her desire to realize the American Dream; receive a good education, have a good place to live and a community that supports her. She says that the objective of the immigrants is to have a job and be able to live satisfactorily and with happiness, in the end just a normal life.

We congratulate Laura for her excellent performance and for the sincerity and warmth that she put into her filming.

Filed 9 de Abril, 2008 | Permalink | View Blog Reactions | Comments (0)