Good morning, members of the Board of Education. My name is Nahum Velasquez and I am 18

years old. I am glad to be here today sharing my experience, and that of hundreds of other

Latino students in Montgomery County schools. At age 16, I left my family and immigrated from

El Salvador. Upon my arrival I enrolled in Seneca Valley High School. I am currently in the 10th

grade and live alone in Montgomery County.

I was very excited to be going to school—I was going to a big school with a lot of classrooms

and a lot of people. Very quickly, however, I was made to feel different and not valued. My first

day in my ESOL class, my teacher sighed and said: “not another one”. In a very annoyed tone,

she told me that she did not understand why so many people were coming from my country,

and asked me what was going on there. This was only the first of many similar comments made

by both teachers and students. Perhaps the most hurtful experience, however, was when my PE

teacher told me that the reason I was a good jumper was because I had learned to jump while

crossing the border.

It is in this environment that Latino students try to survive. And although we may seek support,

we often times are not given the attention we need. Guidance counselors have turned me

away several times, stating they did not have time for my questions because they were

overwhelmed with the number of students assigned to them. Similarly, when I have shown up

for tutoring services, during lunch and after-school, there are never enough tutors so they

usually just focus on the students that they think are the smartest, which never seems to be us.

As we struggle to learn English and keep up with other subjects we experience severe bullying

from other students. I was constantly mocked when I tried to speak English and was told: “that I

should not speak English until I got rid of my accent”. I was told that people should stay away

from me because I probably listen to reggaeton, and am more likely to sexually assault them. I

began to feel very sad and uncomfortable at school, like I didn’t belong there. It is already a

huge challenge to move to a place with a completely different language and culture. To be

made fun constantly for trying my hardest to succeed in this school system has made this

experience even more challenging.

I have come to the conclusion that the Latinos, particularly recently arrived Latinos, are not

considered as important as other students—pretty much seen as students that will not be

successful, and are treated as such. It often feels as though we are an inconvenience to the

school system—as if we are not students like all the others, who come here to get an education

with hopes of attending college, or developing the necessary skills to carry out a dignified

career. Sometimes I feel like the school system doesn’t realize that, like myself, so many of us

work after school to provide for our families. And, that despite cultural and linguistic barriers,

we do our best—but that will never be enough if we are not given the same respect and

attention that other students receive.

I was lucky that I found Identity and its programs. They really helped support me in ways I did

not feel had been done by the school staff. Were it not for the support of Identity staff through

the soccer program, I am not sure how I would have found a support system and a positive

outlet. I look forward to going to school now because I have access to this network of peers

who are similar to me.

I am grateful for this opportunity to speak before you, and hope that by me sharing these

experiences, which reflect that of so many other Latinos, you will be motivated to develop

solutions.

Thank you very much.