The Effects of the September 11 Terrorist Attack on Pakistani-American Parental Involvement in U.S. Schools

Schools are microsystems of culture, and no clash of culture is currently more magnified than that between Islamic and Western culture. This book challenges educators to face our assumptions of the intents, desires, and motivations of Pakistani-American Parents and Students, and to closely examine the way these assumptions influence the classroom and school environment. The recommendations made to help Muslim students feel more included in school range from difficult to effortless to implement, however, the conversation preceding any change will enhance teacher and community understanding of the differences inherent in this transnational culture. I recommend this book for any teacher or administrator who wants to understand and thereby include children and parents of America's arguably most marginalized culture in classroom learning. -- Lee Graham, Laureate International Universities The Effects of the September 11 Terrorist Attack on Pakistani Parental Involvement in U.S. Schools addresses a critical gap in the literature by exploring the voices and experiences of Pakistani parents as they navigate the U.S. school system in a post-9/11 world. This book challenges negative myths and stereotypes about Pakistani and other Muslim groups in America, and highlights their positive contributions, as well as their struggles in the face of discrimination. The voices included are powerful reminders of how parents can make a difference in the education of their children, and how U.S. schools can be hostile places for those who are marginalized by prejudice. -- Sharon Ulanoff, California State University, Los Angeles