茄子视频

Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter

For children and teens in immigrant households, the return to school over the next several weeks will be marked by fear, disruption and uncertainty caused by dramatic increases in immigration arrests in . 

Having spoken with teachers, parents and students about the rippling effects of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, arrests, detentions and removals, we know that educators 鈥� second only to the immigrant families themselves 鈥� will bear the brunt. Teachers need to be ready.

Our two decades of research into the effects of immigration enforcement on those living far from the U.S.-Mexico border 鈥� in states such as Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Nebraska, New Jersey and New York 鈥� shows that educators are likely to encounter a number of challenges in the classroom. Family disruptions can profoundly affect   and students’ , and developmental well-being. Some young people become withdrawn, anxious, or depressed, while others exhibit aggressive, hyperactive or disruptive behaviors in school. Additionally, students may have to take on new responsibilities, assisting family members in interacting with lawyers, locating relatives and coping with the aftermath of enforcement actions.

Fear of arrest may stop students from showing up at school altogether. For example, after a large worksite raid in Bean Station, Tennessee, one county reported 530 absences, when on a typical day there are . When seven poultry plants were raided across Mississippi in 2019 on the second day of school, of Hispanic students in one district were absent. Fears of ICE cause students and families to isolate themselves, impactingl and,,.

Children and teens may be uncomfortable talking about immigration. For some, this is because it is a source of trauma in their families. Others view the word 鈥渋mmigrant鈥� negatively, given sentiments in the news. Teasing and bullying may draw on harmful stereotypes about immigrants, with .

Educators occupy a unique position on the front lines. Teachers counsel students whose parents have been removed. Principals face the logistical demands of empty homes and hungry students. Educators at all levels must address achievement gaps among students worried about enforcement.

However, educators are also poised to connect students to vital resources and services. In New York, teachers and coaches were key to the of young adults whose parents were targeted by ICE. Adults connected students to important services, including counseling and mentoring programs; having an adult simply listen to young people鈥檚 stories helped them feel less alone or embarrassed about their circumstances, and more willing to seek assistance. In Tennessee, teachers and advocacy organizations developed a in the event students鈥� parents are taken in worksite raids. 

How can those working in K-12 schools prepare for this fall?

First, teachers can use triage methods to better direct students to services when they suspect they have experienced disruptions. Students suffer when enforcement actions strain households due to family separations and when they take on new responsibilities like housework, child care, interpreting or legal brokering. Teachers and counselors should look for changes in students鈥� housing, food insecurity or new roles in their families. They can connect students to school-based services to alleviate economic, health and social stressors related to these changes. 

Second, educators can address students鈥� fears by establishing networks with community organizations. In many places, rapid response teams are emerging to verify reports of ICE activity. Teachers and school administrators can connect to groups who may be able to patrol around schools, bus stops or after school programs to give students a sense of security and assuage their anxieties. 

Third, teachers can remind all students that migration is part of the human experience and underlies U.S. nation-building processes. Because some children and teens may feel uneasy about this topic,  teachers can plan lessons that highlight contributions of the foreign-born and their children. This not only offers role models for students who feel vulnerable, but also reminds others that migration 鈥� both past and present 鈥� is a shared part of American history.    

Finally, superintendents and principals must develop and communicate protocols in the event ICE agents show up at schools or in the neighborhoods in which their students live. They can institute guidelines that address the many logistical changes that may occur following arrests and detentions, such as how to handle bus drop-offs, ways to deliver meals to students who depend on the cafeteria for their food or policies for field trips that require crossing Border Patrol checkpoints. Guidelines like these can lessen the chaos and confusion in the immediate aftermath of detention.

This back-to-school season, educators will be the first line of defense for young people. They should be ready to take quick action to protect their students and help them navigate and connect with community resources that can ease the most harmful effects of ICE actions.

Did you use this article in your work?

We鈥檇 love to hear how The 74鈥檚 reporting is helping educators, researchers, and policymakers.