Changing the Negative Arab Narrative in Our Schools

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: Using Culturally Responsive School Leadership to Center Stakeholders and Empower Student Voice

Abstract

Arab American youth are a complex and diverse population in America who are often misunderstood, misclassified and misrepresented. These youth face a school system that has been teaching an inaccurate and negative narrative about who they are. Using an adapted framework from Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model of Human Development, this qualitative exploratory case study examines the factors that lead to cultural identity development in Arab American youth, specifically focused on the school system in the framework. Through interviews of seven Arab American youth this study serves to enlighten administrators and faculty of K-20 agencies on how to best support this population in positively forming their cultural identity by beginning to change the Arab narrative.

Authors

• Rania Saeb, California State University - San Marcos

• Brooke Soles, California State University - San Marcos