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By Melanie C. Johnson When the federal No Child Left Behind Act passed in 2001, educator and author Barbara Flores wanted to make her objections known to Congressman Joe Baca, D-Rialto. Flores, 60, had planned to go to his office to relay her concerns about the law signed by President George W. Bush, which she felt forced educators to teach to a test and limited classroom creativity. Not shy about speaking up, San Bernardino's newest school board member instead took advantage of a chance meeting shortly after the law passed. She took the opportunity to bend Baca's ear when they happened to be on the same delayed flight to Phoenix. "I talked to him for about a hour and a half," she said laughing. "He said, `You're the only one who I've ever heard complain about it.'" Years after that initial meeting, Flores continues to talk to Baca about issues of concern, particularly related to education. Earlier this month, Baca administered the oath of office to the San Bernardino resident and self-described activist. "Congressman Baca is a real friend of education," she said. "He not only listens, but he acts. He's just amazing." The Cal State San Bernardino professor said No Child Left Behind, as it stands, unfairly penalizes teachers, students and school districts that don't hit the constantly moving testing targets. She said she has hope that once President-elect Barack Obama takes office, the law will be changed. "I am for accountability, but I want the measures to be valid and follow the kids' growth," she said. "We need growth models. We have to have diagnostic measures that will inform teachers." Flores said teachers are dear to her heart because she is one herself. It's the reason she ran for school board, she said. She began her career in 1970 as an English as a Second Language teacher in Madera, after graduating from Cal State Hayward with a bachelor's degree in Spanish and Latin American studies. She went on to earn teaching credentials, a master's degree in reading education from Cal State Sacramento and a doctorate in reading, higher education administration and bilingual education from the University of Arizona. Flores credits her father, Frank, for her discipline, tenacity and desire to stand up for people's rights. Her mother Carmen's kindness, generosity and steadfastness in the face of adversity taught her "to be firm, but kind" and "loving but demanding," she said in her pre-oath speech. Flores took office Dec. 16, the birthday of her maternal grandmother, Dona Eusebia Lopez. "She taught me many, many truths about life, about caring, about social justice, about courage, about hard work, about dreaming and actualizing one's dreams, about taking stands and being a leader," Flores said. In 1997, Flores, who has one daughter, tired of seeing stereotypical images of Latinos in children's books and put pen to paper to create her own reading series. She wrote the "Piņata" series, an early literacy program for Spanish-speaking children to help them become bilingual in Spanish and English. She followed that up with a second series, "Mas Piņata." Flores mentored authors of a similar reading series for black children, she said. "With Latino and African American kids, you need culturally relevant materials," she said. "You need to identify with the material. You need to see yourselves in books." Flores, who teaches in the College of Education's Department of Language, Literacy and Culture, has served as a bilingual education consultant for several other school districts. The most successful programs are the dual language variety, with native-English and native-Spanish speakers together in the classroom, she said. Flores said she knows there are detractors who don't support bilingual education in any form, but says that view is too narrow. "All over the world, people are not just bilingual, they're multilingual," she said. "To understand a community, you have to understand the language and the culture." The first-time office holder said she expects to help make the school district better. San Bernardino City Unified has struggled academically. The district as a whole and most of its campuses are on a federal list of failing schools. Flores said the district is working to turn things around. This year it has set aside time each week during the school day for professional development for teachers. Academic success requires knowledgeable staff and principals who provide instructional leadership, she said. Parents need to ensure that their children do their homework and take advantage of tutoring programs and other resources, she said. "We can provide space and time, but we can't turn off the television and turn off the Nintendo," Flores said. The dropout rate, especially among minority students, also needs attention at the middle-school level or earlier, she said. In October, Superintendent Arturo Delgado reported the most recent dropout rate for black students was 38.4 percent, compared to 41.6 percent statewide, and 35.1 percent for Latinos, compared to the state's 30.3 percent. "I think it's very abominable," Flores said. "I think it's a crime, actually, and we need to turn it around." |
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