VOCES: COMMUNITY, PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS Entre la Espada y la Pared: Critical Educators, Bilingual Education, and Education Reform Edward M. Olivos Division of Teacher Education California State University, Dominguez Hills Carmen E. Quintana de Valladolid Joint Doctoral Program San Diego State University/Claremont Graduate University From the perspective of two practitioners who have been influenced by work in the area of critical pedagogy and critical theory, this article examines bilingual educa- tion, education reform, and the achievement gap in relation to Latino English Lan- guage Learners. The authors integrate personal experiences as they examine underly- ing assumptions of class, race, and asymmetrical power relations in current education policy and classroom practice. They argue that, despite feelings of being “between a rock and a hard place,” critical pedagogy has allowed them to continue their struggles for educational justice with the help of fellow educators and commu- nity members. Key words: critical pedagogy, teachers, bilingual education, education reform, lan- guage, achievement gap JOURNAL OF LATINOS AND EDUCATION, 4(4), 283–293 Copyright © 2005, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Requests for reprints should be sent to Edward M. Olivos, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Division of Teacher Education, 1000 E. Victoria Street, Carson, CA 90747. E-mail: emolivos@cox.net