WALLA WALLA – Lack of political representation for Washington’s growing Hispanic population leads to disparities in education, health care and other areas, a Whitman College study has found.
Paul Apostolidis, associate professor of politics, said Tuesday the “State of the State for Washington Latinos” project produced new information about the social issues that arise from lack of political representation.
“The original motivation was looking around and noticing the Latino population is growing very rapidly, but political representation for Latinos has not been increasing,” he said. “That leads to a whole variety of social issues. There is a strong case to be made for Latinos’ need for more political power.”
The 14-chapter report – presented to Walla Walla-area legislators Tuesday – is an outgrowth of Apostolidis’ “Politics 458: Racism and Latinos in Washington State” seminar for juniors and seniors.
Among its findings:
* Alternative public schools show greater racial equality in graduation rates than traditional high schools;
* Young Hispanics are “overrepresented in the juvenile justice system.” These youths become further disadvantaged by economics and language barriers as they progress through the criminal justice system;
* Hispanics, and more specifically undocumented immigrants, have less access to health care than the rest of the state’s population, and;
* In some jurisdictions, there is “a stark mismatch” between the Hispanic population and the proportion of Spanish-speaking political representatives.
Many of the study’s findings echo issues that the state’s Commission on Hispanic Affairs plans to discuss with state Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson on Friday in Bellevue, according to a commission agenda.
More political clout could help address some of the social issues, such as low rates of homeownership and disproportionately high rates of domestic violence, Apostolidis said.
Secretary of State Sam Reed’s youth voting initiatives are an example of a mainstream project that could be adapted for Hispanics, Apostolidis said.
More attention should be paid to the Voting Rights Act to ensure Hispanics are adequately represented, he added.
The class project expands on similar work by last year’s class, Apostolidis said.
“As a learning experience for them (students), it’s extremely unusual,” Apostolidis said of the class project. “They really did produce some new knowledge. It wasn’t just a rehash of what people know already.”
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