International Teachers in U.S. Urban Schools (Research Presentation)

In the current political times of "America First", Mexican border walls, and Muslim travel bans, today's climate is rife with negative rhetoric about immigrants, the violence they commit on American soil, and America's xenophobic cries for them to "go back home". We hear less about the experiences of immigrants who fill the void in the professional workforce or their efforts to alleviate and solve some of America's most pressing problems in public schools. In the last decade, international teachers of color have been recruited from their home countries to alleviate the drastic teacher shortage, reduce class sizes, and bring linguistic and racial diversity to the teaching force. Thus, their stories provide a counter narrative to the dominant rhetoric about immigrants, and serve to explain their vital role in shaping the learning experiences of children in U.S. urban schools. Presentation by Dr. Makini Beck (VAP, SOIS & Sociology/Anthropology)