By the statement "Martha is Mexican", Mr. Boone meant to say that Martha's background is not satisfactory to be given the scholarship jacket despite her deserving grades.
The short story "The Scholarship Jacket" is about a young Mexican American girl and the injustice she was subjected to because of her background. The story deals with themes of discrimination, honesty, fairness, perseverance, right, and wrong, etc.
- Martha was a straight-A student and confidently expected to get the scholarship jacket.
- But when she overheard her teachers Mr. Schmidt and Mr. Boone argue about the same, she was distraught.
- Mr. Boone had even spoken out "Martha is Mexican" seemingly to refer to her background as a Mexican immigrant as a detriment to her 'eligibility' to the jacket.
- Mr. Schmidt knows and supports Martha's right to get the jacket like she rightly deserved to get it.
- But the other teachers seemed to not really support the jacket being given to someone who's 'not American' and wanted it to be given to Joann.
This seemingly discrimination against Martha is a result of her being "Mexican". And it was this issue that led to the 'debate' of whether to give the jacket to Martha or Joann whose "father is not only on the board, [but also] owns the only store in town." Thus, Mr. Boone meant to say that Martha's position as an immigrant, a Mexican, is an obstacle to her 'eligibility' to be given the scholarship jacket.
Learn more about "The Scholarship Jacket" here:
brainly.com/question/19322108
