Critical Analysis Of Archival Data: The Alvarado V. Episd Case

This research analyses the Alvarado vs. El Paso Independent School District legal files, housed at the Sonnichsen Special Collections Department, The University of Texas at El Paso Library. This dissertation explored the following questions: Research question 1 (RQ1): What are the political and social-cultural contexts of the Alvarado case based on the Archives?; and Research Question 2 (RQ2): impact on school education, to include themes in policy and leadership. A qualitative research approach framed through Latino Critical Race Theory exposes how the U.S. education system has historically reinforced White perspectives and marginalized Latino groups, specifically focusing on Mexican-American students in El Paso, Texas. The study examines a legal case centered on segregation and educational equity for Mexican-American students, using archival materials from the University of Texas at El Paso. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and LatCrit serve as the theoretical frameworks guiding the research. Through the analysis of interview transcripts, memos, documents, and legal opinions, the study contributes to discussions on educational leadership and policy affecting Latino communities.The findings reveal that, although LatCrit was formally recognized in the 1990s, its principles were being applied as early as the late 1960s. In particular, the legal strategies of the Alvarado team, which included the use of visual evidence categorizing individuals by "Spanish surnamed" versus "Anglo surname," demonstrated an early application of CRT. This approach can be seen as a precursor to LatCrit, a framework focused on race and identity issues within the Latino community. Key themes identified in the analysis include the positioning and labeling of Mexican Americans and the inherent suffering experienced by Mexican-American students.