In American schools, it is believed that parent involvement is the primary factor affecting a child’s educational success. Open lines of communication with the school and the teachers are greatly valued. The concerned parent is encouraged and expected to confer with the teachers, join the PTO (Parent/Teacher Organization), and become involved in the everyday routine of their children’s school. Since these assumptions are held as truths, the parent who does not openly display this type of interest is considered apathetic, and is looked on with disdain. Misinterpretations can be construed when immigrant parents do not appear to involve themselves in their children’s education because they are not aware of, do not practice, or are uncomfortable with, this cultural expectation. It is logically assumed that the parents are not interested in their child’s academic progress. More often than not, this negative assumption of a lack of concern is incorrect. This article discusses the factors that could be cause for immigrant parents to appear to be unresponsive.
