Angel González
(109 pages)
Listen to the interview
Biography:
Born November 18, 1929, in Edinburg, Texas. One of the first Chicano school superintendents in Texas, Mr. González has held top administrative positions in the public schools in Crystal City, Houston and Dallas, and has worked for the Texas Education Agency. He also worked as the Branch Chief in the Office of Education for Bilingual Education in Washington, D.C. In 1976, he ran for Congress in the Rio Grande Valley. He retired from active employment and resides in Dallas.
Interview Summary:
Mr. González talks about his family history and genealogy. He shares memories of his childhood years including experiences in schools. He comments on his early career in education as a public school coach and relates the circumstances that led to his appointment as an elementary school principal. He gives details about his employment with the Texas Education Agency, the Dallas Independent School District, Houston Independent School District, Crystal City Independent School District, and the Office of Education for Bilingual Education in Washington, D.C. Mr. González discusses various issues and difficulties associated with the implementation of Bilingual Education programs in Texas. He also talks about problems associated with financing bilingual education programs and lack of monitoring of school districts to enforce court mandates to provide bilingual education for limited English speaking students. Mr. González discusses the different types of bilingual education approaches used by school districts, and he tells about the role that race discrimination plays in deciding which definition is selected to define any given bilingual education program. He elaborates upon the multiple difficulties that he experienced while serving as Superintendent of Crystal City schools. Mr. González talks about the role he played in bringing about the decriminalization of using Spanish as the language of instruction in the schools. He provides details about his indictment on fraud charges, his trial, the trial outcome, and the financial hardships he faced.
Locations of residence or activity:
Dallas/Austin/Houston/Crystal City
Interview Date:
6/23/1997