Social Justice Collaboration in Schools: A Model for Working with Undocumented Latino Students

Abstract

Undocumented Latino students raise unique challenges for school counselors and student affairs professionals. Fears of deportation, limited access to higher education, and restrictions in future opportunities for employment are common. These obstacles can be lessened in the academic setting when school counselors and student affairs professionals work collaboratively toward systemic social justice advocacy. The purpose of this article is to illuminate the challenges encountered by undocumented Latino students and to introduce an ecological model that promotes social action within a K-16 system. Reflections on individual and collaborative social action interventions for undocumented students will be included. Implementation of this model may generate insights into how to educate professionals in both school counseling and student affairs on realistic and empowering methods to facilitate opportunities for undocumented Latino students.

Educational justice for undocumented students: How school counselors encourage student persistence in schools

“…Unauthorized immigrants are also susceptible to and fear deportation (Lopez, Taylor, Funk, & Gonzalez-Barrera, 2013;Storlie & Jach, 2012). In 2015, Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported over 235,000 people (Department of Homeland Security, 2016).…”

Untitled

“…Professional school counselors may also consider developing formal or informal mentoring programs (Storlie & Jach, 2012) to extend current findings on advocacy and initiatives with Latino youth at their schools. Moreover, counselor educators must help prepare future school counselors to identify relationships between individual academic challenges and systemic barriers (Ratts et al, 2014) to assist Latino students with evident academic inequalities.…”

“…Professional school counselors working with Latino students may consider tutoring or study whereas this may be a non-issue in other contexts. The development of anti-bullying crusades and support groups within and outside of the school setting may be of considerable benefit to Latino students on multiple levels (Storlie & Jach, 2012).…”

“…use of career genograms). School counselors and counselors-in-training interested in continually supporting and advocating for the healthy career development of Latino students must be willing to explore occupational experiences outside of the office (Storlie & Jach, 2012), in the community and public domain. Collaborating with vested stakeholders within the school and community to develop career fairs that bring in successfully employed Latinos is just one intervention through which systemic change can begin.…”

“…outside of the regular school day or school setting(Storlie & Jach, 2012) as necessary outreach to this marginalized population.Through the lens of social justice, racial and ethnic identity models(Delgado-Romero, 2001) may be of assistance when educating school counselors-in-training in how to provide school counseling services to Latino youth to support their personal/social development. The use of an ethnic identity model such asRuiz (1990) may continue to support the correlation of cultural heritage and positive mental health(Sue & Sue, 1999), helping to break down some of the systemic barriers facing Latino youth.…”