Thread: Some Hispanics stumped by U.S. Census form's box on race

Mar 23, 2010

Some Hispanics stumped by U.S. Census form's box on race

11:19 AMY

Some Hispanics are finding question No. 9 on the U.S. Census forms a bit troubling, The Arizona Republic reports.

It asks residents to mark their race. The choices: White, Black, American Indian, Alaska native, various Asian descents, Hawaiian, Pacific Islanders and "some other race."

"Obviously, I'm not White," Jessica Valenzuela, a 37-year-old schoolteacher from Avondale, Ariz., tells the newspaper. "I would consider myself Hispanic or Mexican-American, but definitely not White. The form doesn't really leave you with another option, though."

The census does count Hispanics, but it's in question No. 8, which asks if the residents is "of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin."

The reason: Federal officials consider being Hispanic an ethnicity rather than a race.

One reason for confusion, the newspaper notes, is the change that's taken place on the issue through the years. The 1930 census lists "Mexican" as a race all to itself.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... -on-race/1

How about an "x" in the illegal box?

"Obviously, I'm not White," Jessica Valenzuela, a 37-year-old schoolteacher from Avondale, Ariz., tells the newspaper. "I would consider myself Hispanic or Mexican-American, but definitely not White. The form doesn't really leave you with another option, though."

Is she serious?!?!!?? How pathetic that a so-called "teacher" doesn't know the difference between race and ethnicity! God bless the kids she's teaching.