The Latina/o Condition - Ideas for education research

So, I have been accepted to pursue a degree in education with a concentration on higher education. Furthermore, my interests lie specifically in Latina/o Studies. So what about this study interests me? First, the argument about Latina/o vs. whatever nationality you are prior to being a hyphenated American is compelling. I tend to rather than divide, to unite. So I believe in the Latina/o argument and that there is a need to combine varying Spanish-speaking populations into one group in order to have a political voice in America. Then, the case regarding research would probably lie more in issues of Latino Critical Theory. In my masters thesis, (1) I found it interesting that there is a black/white binary that can neglect other ethnic minorities that are not black like Latina/os. So the Brown vs. Board of education landmark was or was not a real stride for Latina/os in education or was it? (2) The issue of immigration with reference to documented vs. undocumented stigma in the American education system is interesting since being undocumented turns immigrants into deviants. So how does this relate to higher education, well I would like to do a study on the varying Latino groups in Rochester, specifically high school seniors schools with bi-lingual programs, to see how varying nationalities that do not have immigration documentation issues par against Latina/os who do have documentation issues. Or even, a study of these same high school seniors that are spread across various urban clusters that have a high concentration of Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, and Cubans and see how the compare in reference to college access. It would be something like Mexicans and Dominicans (undocumentation higher) on one side vs. Cubans and Puerto Ricans (undocumentation lower, one group is American citizens) on the other. I am interested in the dynamics because I hypothesize that the the group who has less documentation issues does better than the groups that usually has documentation issues.

There needs to be cultural programs in "Latinidad" at a collegiate and secondary level. Spanish Language inclusion programs like teaching urban city school students in half English and Spanish would be a good idea too, there has to be research on how Americans lag behidn their European counterparts in having dual language capabilities, and how having two languages early in life can increase your intelligence.