Implications for Leaders: Voices of Refugee Parents About Their Perceptions of Schooling for Their Children

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 3:35 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Supporting the Experiences and Well-Being of Youth and Families From Migrant and Refugee Backgrounds (Table 1)

Abstract

Schooling in the U.S. is the primary acculturating space where refugees make their first contact with the host country. There remains a fundamental difference between the situations of immigrants and refugees. Immigrants exercise a measure of control over their futures as they prepare and plan for emigration. Refugees, in contrast, are compelled to leave their home and homeland usually by force and often on short notice, (Mosselson, 2006). They have little choice about where they go and typically never have the possibility to return home. Thus, this study examined the importance of school leaders to create an inclusive environment for refugee parents and their children.

Authors

• Jean Madsen, Texas A&M University

• Sami Jabarkhail, Texas A&M University