The high cost of fake rumors about Haitian immigrants

Good morning from Chalkbeat's national desk. In this week's newsletter, we have insights into how false rumors about Haitian immigrants are affecting students in the classroom and what teachers can do to support them, plus more education news from around our network.

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The big story

Haitian immigrants to the United States have long faced discrimination and negative stereotypes. These difficulties resurfaced when J.D. Vance and then Donald Trump elevated false rumors that Haitian immigrants in one Ohio community were eating neighbors’ pets.?

Haitian community leaders say parents have reported that their children are being bullied, and some are afraid to send their children to school. The fear and tension recall the months before and after the 2016 election, when Latino students reported being subjected to deportation threats from classmates and various versions of “build the wall!” chants.?

“These comments burden the Haitian community to clarify and deny these accusations. Even when people are not mean-spirited, we are still impacted by jokes or comments,” said Carrié Solages, a Haitian American state legislator in Nassau County, New York.

There are things educators can do to support their students and reduce the circulation of false information. To start, don’t treat false rumors as if they are up for debate. Educators can also review their school’s existing anti-bullying policies, set clear expectations with students, and enforce the rules.

But teachers can also play a role in sharing more positive and nuanced stories about Haiti and about immigrants more broadly. Students can pair up and share migration stories, whether their own or those of their families and consider similarities and differences. Teachers can also work with parents and community members to share their culture in the classroom.?

Read the full story here.

More national stories

Asked to describe 2024 election coverage, teens use words like “chaotic,” “confusing,” “interesting,” and “informative.” Teens said social media can be a blessing and a curse as they try to find accurate information. It can inform them about perspectives they hadn’t considered and muddy the waters about what’s true or false. They’ve also struggled with how to communicate with family and friends who might be getting news from very different sources.

Local stories to watch

• New York City’s schools chancellor made the stunning announcement that he would retire in December after 40 years in the district. The news comes just three weeks after federal agents visited David Banks’ home and seized his phones as part of a broader investigation into Mayor Eric Adams’ inner circle. A deputy chancellor who played a key role in helping to welcome migrant students is expected to take over.
• At many Indiana private schools, a growing share of students pays for tuition with a voucher. After the state relaxed income requirements and made nearly every child eligible, more than half of participating private schools have a student body made up entirely or almost entirely of kids who use vouchers. Supporters see that spike as evidence of the program’s popularity and necessity, while others say it’s moved too far from its original purpose of providing more school options to low-income and working-class families.
• As many cities mull school closures, Chicago’s school board is considering a moratorium through 2027. The district’s embattled CEO, Pedro Martinez, put forward the proposal in response to assertions from the city’s teachers union that he was planning to shutter campuses. Chicago’s mayor asked Martinez to resign following disputes over how to balance the district’s budget, but Martinez has said he won’t step down.
• Colorado’s two largest districts plan to keep paying out of pocket for some initiatives funded by dwindling pandemic aid. Jeffco Public Schools, which got $68 million in the last and largest federal COVID relief package, will spend $9 million of its own money to keep middle school security staff, higher pay for substitute teachers, and virtual mental health services for students. Denver Public Schools, meanwhile, will spend $7 million to keep certain after-school and summer programming and added mental health staff — compared with the nearly $210 million the district had from the final federal aid package.