Refugee Parents' Perceptions of Bullying Practices of Their Children in Urban Schools

Abstract

The purpose of the chapter is to examine how parents from refugee backgrounds understand and perceive school bullying and anti-bullying policies. Given that bullying continues to be a serious problem in schools, and that immigrant and refugee-background students are particularly severely impacted, it is imperative that perspectives from different stakeholders, including refugee background parents, be incorporated in anti-bullying policies and interventions. Data were collected using the focus group method, with parents drawn from the refugee community in a town in upstate New York. Focus group interviews were conducted with a total of 27 parents from refugee backgrounds. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed and organized thematically. Findings showed that parents (1) experience secondary stress from bullying of their children, (2) advocate for their children, (3) often feel unheard and diminished by school teachers and administrators, and (4) have an interest in meeting and working with teachers and other school officials to address bullying. Findings provide implications for bullying policies and practices for school personnel.