BIPOC and undocumented: A trauma-filled intersection

BIPOC and undocumented: A trauma-filled intersection

Author: Ethical Schools November 19, 2020 Duration: 33:10

Dr. Christiana Best, who spent thirty years in the New York City child welfare system before becoming a full-time academic, discusses her personal experience of being left behind in Granada while her mother settled in the US. Dr. Best, now an assistant professor of social work at St. Joseph’s, delves into the difficulties of providing holistic support to immigrant children and families, who are (justifiably) hesitant to trust government agencies. 

Overview

00:00-00:51 Intros

00:51-02:23 Impact on students of being undocumented

02:23-07:00 How separation affects children and parents

07:00-08:42 Supports for students suffering separation effects and aftereffects

08:42-11:38 Support for parents?

11:38-14:37 Collaboration among schools, agencies, CBOs: obstacles and potentialities

14:37-18:59 Issues of mandated reporting; building trust

18:59-20:34 Cultural competence vs. cultural humility

20:34-22:58 School social workers and school counselors

22:58-23:37 School social workers and immigrant families trust

23:37-25:12 Need for more school social workers

25:12-29:58 Microaggressions: what they are; examples; applying a Deweyan framework for anti-microaggression education

29:58-31:54 What the incoming Biden Administration can do to support vulnerable children

Transcription

Click here to see the full transcription of this episode. 


Conversations about education often focus on test scores and curriculum, but there’s a deeper layer that truly shapes a student’s experience. Ethical Schools digs into that layer, exploring what it means to build a learning community grounded in integrity and care. Each week, hosts Amy and Jon sit down with educators and innovators who are actively reimagining schools. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions about the practical work of creating environments where every student feels safe and respected. The dialogue frequently addresses how to support young people dealing with trauma, moving beyond theory to share actionable strategies that teachers are using right now. More than just problem-solving, this podcast highlights how to empower students themselves to become advocates and changemakers in their own communities. It’s a series that connects philosophy with daily practice, looking at the social and cultural structures within schools through a lens of ethics. For anyone invested in the future of education-whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply a concerned community member-this podcast offers a thoughtful and necessary perspective on the foundational values that make education meaningful.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 240

Ethical Schools
Podcast Episodes
Successful Teaching Careers: Empowering Non-Traditional Candidates [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:26
We speak with Dr. Kathryn Spence, Director of the School of Education at Fairleigh Dickinson University, about actualizing a focus on social justice and equity. She discusses strategies for broadening the pipeline of tea…
NYC high school surveys: Disparities in student stress and support [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:01
The authors of a recent Chalkbeat analysis discuss the Department of education’s 2023 high school survey, which shows girls, especially girls of color, have much higher stress levels, and feel less supported, than boys.…
Middle schoolers as scholars: Critical participatory action research [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:13
We speak with Dr. Sam Finesurrey, assistant professor of history at Guttman Community College, and three 2024 graduates of School in the Square (S2), a charter middle school in Washington Heights, Manhattan. Dr. Finesurr…
Equity by design: residency-focused teacher education [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:32
We speak with Dr. Diana Turk, Chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning and Director of Teacher Education at NYU. Students in NYU’s unique teacher residency program work full-time in classrooms, for which they are…