This month has been a lesson in how anti-immigrant political rhetoric has real consequences for students.
During the Sept. 10 presidential debate, former President Donald Trump shared a false claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were stealing and eating neighbors’ pets, amplifying misinformation that began on social media and that Trump’s vice presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, had already promoted.
Within days, hoax bomb threats directed at Springfield city buildings and schools poured in. Precautionary evacuations and school closures occurred. On Sept. 16, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, announced that 36 state troopers would be stationed throughout the Springfield City school district, where about 15 percent of students are English learners—many of them immigrants from Haiti in the United States legally. Troopers now conduct daily morning bomb sweeps and provide security throughout the school day and during dismissal.
“Many of these threats are coming in from overseas, made by those who want to fuel the current discord surrounding Springfield. We cannot let the bad guys win,” DeWine said in a press release. “We must take every threat seriously, but children deserve to be in school, and parents deserve to know that their kids are safe.”
The Ohio city’s position in the national spotlight has not only disrupted students’ education, but generated concerns about whether immigrant students there and elsewhere can feel safe and welcome at school.
“When kids are scared and they feel psychologically unsafe, no learning happens,” said Astou Thiane, director of policy and advocacy at ImmSchools, a Texas nonprofit that partners with schools in multiple states to create welcoming environments for immigrant students and families.
It’s crucial for educators to cultivate a sense of belonging for all students, including immigrant students and those from immigrant families, especially in highly divisive political moments, such as the current presidential election, according to those who work with immigrant students and their families. Some of that work needs to happen proactively, well before the latest viral outburst of harmful rhetoric.
“We know that kids who feel like they belong in school do better. They have fewer school absences, fewer discipline issues, and they have greater levels of achievement,” said Missy Testerman, the 2024 National Teacher of the Year and a K-8 English-as-a-second-language teacher in Rogersville, Tenn.
“The best thing that teachers can do from the very beginning is to be proactive and to always work on creating a classroom culture where every student feels welcome, and that the contributions and the background of every student are important to the overall climate of the classroom.”
Teachers can take small actions to make sure immigrant students feel supported
If students are dealing with fallout from anti-immigrant rhetoric, such as bullying or harassment, teachers should talk privately with these students and let them know they can come to their teacher with concerns, Testerman said.
“A lot of times, children from other cultural backgrounds have a very different view of when it’s appropriate to come to an adult. They feel as though they’re not supposed to come to adults with problems, and a lot of those are just cultural differences on the role of the child within the social setting,” she said.
One way to build this sense of trust is to have lunch with new students in the classroom.
“I found that when kids are in a smaller environment like that, particularly if food is involved—we’re sharing a meal together, and it’s a laid-back situation—that they tend to open up and tell you more of what’s going on than they would if you asked them directly,” Testerman said.
When dealing with misinformation targeting immigrants, as in the Springfield case, Thiane recommends that teachers directly name it and teach students the truth in class by reviewing news articles and explaining context.
A former middle school teacher, Thiane recalls students coming to her in 2016, during Trump’s first run for the presidency when he pledged to create a “deportation force,” asking whether their parents would be deported.
Thiane advises teachers to create a classroom environment with norms and expectations for the tone of discussion, let students know in advance that the class discussion might involve something difficult or upsetting, and then clear up what is and is not happening in a developmentally appropriate manner.
The look of a classroom can assist in creating a safe and welcoming environment, too, Thiane said.
Teachers can put up posters emphasizing that everyone belongs in school, or even posters of the monarch butterfly—which has become a symbol for immigrants given the natural migration patterns of these creatures to Mexico during harsh northern winters, and back, Thiane said.
When Testerman welcomed new students from Honduras one year, she put up a small Honduran flag in the classroom, and the visual resonated with her new students.
It’s not only teachers’ responsibility to help immigrant students feel safe and welcome
Classroom teachers aren’t the only ones who play a role in welcoming immigrant students.
Principals and other school staff members can be present at dropoff and pickup times making it clear to families that they’re looking after their children, Testerman said.
School leaders should also share messages with all families that reinforce the principle that all students belong in school, and even acknowledge and correct any misinformation spreading within a local community, Thiane said.
As one way of ensuring students’ safety, school leaders can create a list of recommendations or policies known as “safe zone” resolutions.
Schools can develop and train staff in protocols for what to do if immigration officials arrive asking for a student or family member, said Viridiana Carrizales, ImmSchools’ founder and CEO. (Schools are not required to provide such information due to student privacy laws, and schools do not have to let immigration officials into the building unless they bring a judicial warrant.)
Carrizales recognizes that most teachers are not well-versed in immigration law, nor is it their responsibility to act as immigration lawyers. However, she and Thiane recommend schools provide baseline training on policies that affect students and families. They also suggest that schools partner with trusted community organizations that can help immigrants find housing and access other services so they can direct students and families to those resources.
Supporting immigrant students also requires supporting their families
While addressing bullying and harassment among students, educators also need to be aware when parents and even fellow educators share harmful, anti-immigrant rhetoric in their communities.
“Everybody is entitled to their own opinions, especially as parents. But I feel that the moment those opinions can cause harm, and it could turn into bullying done by the students or the parents, then the school, if this is happening at the school, needs to take action on it,” Carrizales said.
While it can be tricky to navigate such scenarios, Carrizales hopes educators can play a mediating, educational role in explaining the harm that can come from anti-immigrant rhetoric.
There are also ways teachers and school leaders can bridge divides.
For instance, Testerman has attended events in her rural town and made a point to sit with the families of her immigrant students.
“People have a great level of trust in me because I’ve lived here a long time, and I think that helps bridge that gap over some of the fears or some of the distrust that people may have,” Testerman said.
Overall, investing in such support can pay off for teachers as well as students.
“Our immigrant families tend to be very, very supportive of schools and school personnel,” Testerman said. “They place a very high level of trust in us to not only educate their students, but also to ensure that they’re safe.
“We have to treat that as a gift, because it indeed is a gift.”
