The Outside of Town: An Analysis of Housing Conditions for Latino Farm Worker Children in Washington, and Their Impact on Educational Success
By Griff Lambert
Executive Summary
THE OUTSIDE OF TOWN: AN ANALYSIS OF HOUSING CONDITIONS FOR LATINO FARM WORKER CHILDREN IN WASHINGTON, AND THEIR IMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS
Griff Lambert, Whitman College
Executive Summary, November 28, 2006
“What
we do see is the difference in the ability for homework completion
based on the availability of proper facilities to do homework. A lot of
times the children are living in overcrowded conditions—multiple
families living in, say, a single wide trailer. Sometimes the homes
don’t have proper heating and lighting, or cooking facilities.”
-Kelly York, Federal Projects Director of the Wahluke School District
Topic:
Latino farm workers stabilize our economy and feed the world, and yet,
they do not always get what every person deserves in return: a stable
home, healthy life, and quality education. My report asks, what is the
relationship between Latino farm worker’s housing conditions and the
educational success of Latino farm worker children in Washington State,
and does the children’s health affect this relationship?
Methods:
I concurrently examined scholarly literature and reports documenting
the national prevalence of health problems and other risks affecting
education that result from substandard housing for Latino farm worker
children. I then attempted to locate these trends within the State of
Washington, using State data and reports, qualitative research
conducted by Beacon Development Group in several farm worker
communities; and interviews I conducted with school officials from
these areas.
Findings: My results indicate that housing does
influence the educational success of Latino farm worker children, and
health acts as an important bridge between these two variables.
- Health: Many Latino farm worker households in Washington live in substandard housing that poses a variety of structural and environmental concerns, and presents many health risks. These include lead poisoning, respiratory illness (such as asthma), pesticide exposure, and an increased spread of disease. These problems not only inhibit the children’s academic success by keeping them home from school sick, but certain risks (such as lead poisoning and pesticide exposure) can permanently harm mental functioning.
- Other Factors: There are other features of Latino farm worker households that inhibit the academic success of Latino farm worker children, as well. Not only does overcrowding pose a physical health risk, it also creates a disruptive environment for completing schoolwork. The residential instability of many seasonal Latino farm worker children causes them to miss a lot of school, creates a difficult environment for learning English, and makes it difficult for them to connect with both teachers and peers. The geographical isolation of many farm worker communities also makes it more difficult for farm worker children and parents to integrate into the school community.
Recommendations: We need to
view housing as an investment in a child’s education, and therefore,
invest in it the same we do education:
- Promote publicly funded housing (which carries greater standards and enforcement).
- Expand opportunities for permanent farm worker housing (such as the Opportunities Industrialization Center’s (OIC) rental credits).
- Promote the integration of Latino farm worker children into school communities. Increase their access to activities and services, which their housing can often inhibit.
I would like to thank my
community partner, Barbara Guzzo of Beacon Development Group, for her
continued support and resources.
