Part+I


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//Part I//

The issue that I chose to address in this Case Study is: Immigration

At Denver Center for International Studies, there is a diverse population of students. During anecdotal conversations with my Site Coordinator and the school Guidance Counselor, it was shared with me that there were several families from Africa and Indonesia; some were refugees and some were immigrants. However, I was unable to access any concrete data at the school level to this effect. I did collect data on the state and national level on immigrants.

The questions guiding my case study were:
 * As an immigrant student, is it difficult to assimilate into the culture of the school?
 * Do you embrace and share the traditions of your native culture?

Nationally, immigration is a hot topic. Recent legal and legislative maneuvers by state and local governments have put the spotlight on immigrant students.

The focus has been on illegal immigrants and their children. The unrelenting press creates a negative atmosphere around immigration. With oppressive state laws in Arizona and most recently in Alabama, immigrants are fearful. In an effort to block Alabama H.B. 56, the Obama Administration asked an Appeals Court on Friday October 7, 2011 to issue an injunction stating that law ""invites discrimination against many foreign-born citizens and lawfully present aliens." [|CNN Article]

In a podcast from National Public Radio, reporter Debbie Elliott visited an elementary school in rural Alabama. Students and parents are not coming to school because they are afraid that the school would have to report immigration status to the authorities. Rumors spread that buses of students were being deported and that students would be forced to "tell" on their parents. Principals and teachers are attempting to quell fears and encourage students to return to school. However, until this issue is resolved many students will lose precious time in the classroom. [|NPR Podcast]

Legal immigrant students face their own unique challenges. From learning a new language to navigating a new culture to living behind friends and loved ones. In the classroom, these students may appear strange to other students, have different educational needs, or may even just need to opportunity to shine.

Nationally, legal immigration has slowed since 2000 with a few exceptions in Georgia, Texas and Arizona. According to Education Weekly, the rate of immigration during the early 1990's accelerated but slowed and eventually leveled of by 2000. [|Education Week Blog]

In Colorado, the number of children in immigrant families from Africa was 4%.



In Colorado the number of children in immigrant families has remained fairly static from 2000 to 2009; going from 18% to 21%. Compared to other states, Colorado's immigrant population remains low, but the trend of leveling off can be seen in the graph below.