Sylvia Sánchez
(8 pages)
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Biography:
Sylvia Zamora Sanchez was born in New Braunfels, attended San Antonio College, and graduated from Texas Lutheran University in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in political science. She was the first Mexican American Woman to serve on the New Braunfels Independent School District board of trustees.
Interview Summary:
Sylvia Zamora Sanchez tells how she first came to be on the board of trustees for the New Braunfels Independent School District and briefly discusses her campaign to win reelection to that seat against Henry Garza. She expresses her frustration with the board when she first became a member, citing Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) score statistics as proof of the race discrimination in the school system. She recalls her hope for improvement in the boards effectiveness as fellow Mexican Americans, Jaime Padilla and Dr. Carlos Campos, were elected to the board, along with the cooperation of Anglo American board member Steve Weaver. She blames the New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce for pressuring the resignation of Jaime Padilla from the school board. She shares her plans to attend law school and mentions the only Mexican American lawyer in New Braunfels, Atanacio Campos.
Locations of residence or activity:
New Braunfels
Interview Date:
1/16/1998