Children on the Run in Central America

Foul tactics: Fox News and Donald Trump are creating fear about the caravan of migrants from Honduras in an effort to win this election. 

This fear campaign could cost the Democrats several seats in the very close Congressional election on Nov. 6.  What we can do is work twice as hard to defeat the Trump/Republican  anti -immigrant agenda. 

·      We must stop him now before he and his enablers can further consolidate power.   See post below.

Immigrant Children in Our Schools

Arriving After Trauma

A majority, 58 percent, of the children arriving here have left war-like conditions that could qualify them for international protection as refugees, according to a recent report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, commonly known as UNHCR. The international agency recommends a thorough screening of each arriving minor to determine if he or she qualifies for that protection. Buffeted by shouting matches in Washington, D.C. and several state capitals, that process is underway.

In the meantime, schools across the country are enrolling large numbers of newly arrived Central American students and trying to figure out the best way to serve them.

Related: Q&A with Elizabeth Yelen: Traumatized children have trouble learning – here’s how to help

Many new arrivals have had little formal schooling. A majority stopped attending school after sixth grade, according to UNHCR. In addition to learning English and the subject matter of their various classes, they also must learn to raise their hands to answer questions, change classes when a bell rings and never wander the halls without a bathroom pass. And there are still those normal teenage concerns: remembering one’s locker combination and flirting, now in a new language.