More foreign-born people live in the United States now than ever before in the country's history. Immigrants from Latin America, primarily from Mexico, constitute the largest proportion of all immigrants. Schools are the main vehicle, sometimes the only one, to integrate immigrant families and their children into U.S. society. This article, argues, however that broader social inequities affecting Latino immigrants infiltrate the practices of the public school system, galvanizing educational inequality around (perceived) deficiencies of Latino families, including their immigration status, via subtle (and often not so subtle) exclusion of Latino parents from active participation in the schools. We argue that the constructs of language proficiency, socioeconomic status, immigration status, and race/ethnicity pose challenges to Latino children and parents in U.S. society and its schools. A convergence of these 4 constructs creates vulnerabilities that constrict the opportunities for many Latinos. This article proposes that limited parental and community engagement can be understood as consequences of social inequities which remain unaddressed in the institutional context of public education. © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Educational equity Immigrant integration Parental participation Public education Public schools Immigration

education participatory approach immigration policy Mexico [North America] young population Latin America immigrant population Latino people cultural influence United States Child