A lesson in civility: The negativity immigrant students hear

A survey of immigrant children in the U.S. revealed just how often they hear prejudiced and hateful comments about them and their countries of origin.

By Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, Carola Suárez-Orozco, and Adam Strom

American classrooms today reflect extraordinary diversity. Children originating in every country and every continent on earth are learning to become American. Today, a quarter of our students come from immigrant families. They are our littlest and newest Americans. Yet, though they pledge allegiance to the American flag, these millions of children find their place in our country challenged.

White supremacists are marching at universities, politicians are spewing anti-immigrant rhetoric, social media are amplifying divisive messages, and hate crimes against minorities are up. But to what extent are children from immigrant families aware of what’s going on? Are our schools immune from the hatred we see in the public square? How should they respond?

Read the rest at Kappan Online or in the December 2017 issue of Kappan.