Critical Analysis of Undergraduate Education Students' Attitudes Toward Policies of Immigrant Students' Access to College

• In Event: 79.041 - Access and Opportunity in Higher Education

Abstract

Teacher attitudes play an important role in promoting academic success for their students, especially vulnerable and marginalized populations like undocumented immigrant students in today’s intolerant sociopolitical climate. We utilized a survey to collect and examine freshman and sophomore education students’ attitudes towards policies affecting immigrant students’ access to college. We analyzed these survey results using critical race theory (CRT) to examine these attitudes and explore the relationships between the attitudes and larger structures like education policies. Our findings revealed that most participants held restrictive attitudes with respect to the policies affecting college access for undocumented students. This in turn reflects the restrictive policies in place that continue to promote and reinforce intolerant attitudes and practices in education system.

Authors

• Nikeetha Dsouza, Clemson University

• William McCorkle, College of Charleston

• Heidi Cian, Florida International University