NBC News in the recently published article, addresses the assessment made by Latino academics on the impact of the growing attacks and measures against diversity initiatives, considering the low number of tenured Latino professors and the difficulties faced in the academic career. Teachers are concerned about the growing politicization of education, especially in states like Florida, where diversity initiatives are limited, and controls are imposed on content related to race and ethnicity.

The text recounts an incident in which an activity of a Latino politics course was defaced with offensive comments about immigrants and victimization, reflecting the racialization and stigmatization experienced by Latinos in the United States. Latino scholars regard this polarization as an attempt to silence the voices of people of color and delegitimize the study of the experiences of marginalized communities.

The low numbers of Latinos on university faculty are highlighted, pointing out that while a record number of Latinos are attending colleges, the representation of Latinos among faculty is significantly lower. The lack of diversity in the faculty is compounded by political attacks from conservatives and Republicans in several states, who denounce concepts such as “wokeness” and critical race theory.

Legislation recently passed in Florida and Texas is cited as examples of such attacks, limiting teaching about structural racism, restricting diversity programs, and reducing protections for teachers. The difficulty in achieving an academic career is highlighted, with the requirement of a Ph.D. or Master's degree, which require years of dedication. Many young Latinos face family pressure to start working as early as possible, which contributes to the lack of representation.

Patrick L. Valdez, board chair of the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, highlights the need for academic institutions to make more efforts to recruit and retain Latino scholars, widening the entry funnel and promoting equity in the composition of search committees. Some research universities have pledged to increase the number of Latino doctoral students and professors, according to NBC.

Antonio Flores, president and CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, emphasizes the importance of providing support to Latinos from the earliest school years, as many are the first in their families to enter college and may not have adequate guidance.

Despite the difficulties they face, Latino academics maintain an optimistic outlook on the future and believe that even with reduced numbers, they are gaining ground and being part of the discussions and decisions in academia.