ABSTRACT This study explores the relation between Mexican American parents and the special education system, especially the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) meetings. Within this narrative account, 10 Mexican American women were... more
ABSTRACT This study explores the relation between Mexican American parents and the special education system, especially the Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) meetings. Within this narrative account, 10 Mexican American women were interviewed throughout a school year to comprehend how they felt about their experiences during IEP meetings concerning their children. Thematic analysis was used as means of formatting the data. From the analysis, themes revealed that although these women wanted to be involved in the decision-making process regarding their children, they were silenced by overt or covert messages that told them their voices were not valued.
Prior research has established that undocumented immigrant experiences are dynamic, reflecting the complex web of immigration-related policies that create legal vulnerability. As such, undocumented college students’ experiences must be... more
Prior research has established that undocumented immigrant experiences are dynamic, reflecting the complex web of immigration-related policies that create legal vulnerability. As such, undocumented college students’ experiences must be situated in their current policy context. Drawing on descriptive analyses of a survey of 1,277 undocumented 4-year college students in California, we examine how undocumented students are faring in a relatively inclusive policy context. Results demonstrate the heterogeneity of undocumented student experiences and unpack the challenges they confront while also demonstrating the ways they thrive. We document how respondents are performing across a variety of academic, well-being, and civic and political engagement outcomes. We also show that undocumented students’ perceptions of legal vulnerability are complex and varied, taking into account family-level legal vulnerability and individual protections. Further, students perceive campuses as fairly welcom...
This paper presents selected findings from an ethnographic case study of at a public junior high school. Analysis of White teachers' discourse implicated a perspective of Mexican-American children that we describe as a mañana complex, a... more
This paper presents selected findings from an ethnographic case study of at a public junior high school. Analysis of White teachers' discourse implicated a perspective of Mexican-American children that we describe as a mañana complex, a perceived association between Mexican-Americans and the term "mañana" (Spanish: "tomorrow"). We outline how this mañana complex among White teachers is indicative of historical racial tropes of Mexicans in the United States while also reflecting current anti-Mexican discourse emboldened and made more fervent by the current US presidential administration. Ultimately, the mañana complex is an example of both racial disgust toward Mexican-American children (Matias and Zembylas in Crit Stud Educ ():-,) and presumptions of White innocence and neutrality (Orozco in Crit Stud Educ,. doi. /. .) among White teachers. Such narratives have profound implications for the education of Mexican and non-White children in US schools that are herein discussed.
