"Border Children" Crisis in North County

July 18, 2014

The “border children” crisis has arrived in North County.

After initial hearings, Escondido will soon be making its final decision about converting a former nursing home for the elderly into a group home for unaccompanied minors. Today, on the great late Nelson Mandela’s birthday, I am reminded that true freedom rests on being able “to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”

I support efforts to provide safe and fair shelter for the youth and adults refugees seeking sanctuary. As a Sociology professor, I have a social justice / human rights framework on immigration and rely on data to understand social problems, such as the current surge of immigration to our borders.

This is a humanitarian issue. Many are fleeing violence and extreme poverty, according to the Immigration Policy Center. The largest sending municipalities are from Honduras and one of them is currently the world’s murder capital due to gang and drug trafficking violence. The Pew Research Center reports “this year, more than 13,000 unaccompanied Honduran children were apprehended at the U.S. border compared with the 968 children apprehended five years ago.” Violence Observatory at the National Autonomous University of Honduras reports that child murder is up 77 percent from last year in Honduras.

It is clear from the United Nations’ recent report, Children on the Run, youth coming to the border do not know about federal or state legislation that recently granted more rights to undocumented youth. However, globally speaking, they do know about the United States being “the land of opportunity.” (Incidentally, this is precisely what my great grandparents believed when they migrated from Ireland on boats to Ellis Island.) A majority of the unaccompanied minors have family already in the United States. Asylum seekers from Central America, in particular, have a permanent federal injunction (Orantes-Hernandez v. Gonzales), which protects their legal process as they seek sanctuary in the United States. For more on this topic, see the amazing work of Lauren Heidbrink who wrote an extremely compelling book called, Migrant Youth, Transnational Families and the State: Care and Contested Interests (2014, University of Pennsylvania Press).

Some hold on to a belief about immigrants and crime. Immigration and undocumented immigration lowers crime or at least does not increase it. Please reread this sentence. Research conducted by Bell and colleagues (2010) from the London School of Economics, along with sociologists such as Robert Sampson (2008) and Jamie Longazel (2013), consistently find an inverse relationship between crime and undocumented immigration.

As to the arguments about “spreading disease,” the youngsters coming here are from countries with higher rates of immunization than the United States. According to the World Health Organization, the countries associated with the unaccompanied minors are El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico and each had higher measles vaccination rates than the United States. Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador reported no cases of measles since 2008, while the United States has reported 50 to 250 annually.

Our immigration courts system is being greatly tested. The system was designed for 8,000 unaccompanied minors and it currently experiencing over 50,000 this year. According to a report analyzing Homeland Security data on unaccompanied minors, immigration Court juvenile cases make up of 11 percent of the courts’ backlog; in real terms there are 41,641 pending juvenile cases out of the total backlog of 375,503 cases. In a review of psychiatric studies conducted by Michael Dudley and his colleagues (2012), children housed in detention experience the exacerbation of existing mental health conditions and also new ones are created, such as depression and anxiety.

How will we achieve the gold standard of the United States justice system: due process? The government is always represented by an attorney and only about 50 percent of children are in proceedings without one. And, it makes a difference. When children have legal representation, about half of the time they are allowed to stay in the United States.

Inevitably, the issue of “legality” and if someone is “breaking the law” usually comes into discussions of undocumented immigration and certainly in the current border crisis.

First, a person cannot be “illegal,” only actions. So, please drop the “i” word.

Second, the law can be unjust. From slavery to child labor to civil rights for women and others, history shows us that laws change to account for the innate dignity and humanity of all members of society.

I want to be on the “right side of history.” The opening of a group home for the unaccompanied migrant youth in Escondido is a way to show our belief in the inherent dignity and alienable rights for all.

Some notes - advice for applying to graduate school

I was recently asked to speak about how to become a competitive candidate when applying graduate school. The venue was a great conference called, UndocuGrad. 

As context....I am a professor who is currently the graduate coordinator of a program for an MA in Sociological Practice. I have enjoyed mentoring a diverse array of students who have been accepted to doctoral, MA in Sociology, MSW, MFT, teaching credential, EdD, law school, and counseling programs. 

Below, I share my talking points for the hour long session.....mci

HOW TO BE A COMPETITIVE APPLICANT[1]

Marisol Clark-Ibáñez, Ph.D.

Professor and Graduate Coordinator 
Sociology at CSUSM
mibanez@csusm.edu

Identify Ultimate Goal for Graduate School (professional, academic, applied)

o        PhD, EdD, MA, MFT, MBA, MS, JD, MD (see next session for specific types of graduate schools)

o        Depending on the profession, you need a specific strategy and likely take specific exams (GRE, GMAT, MCAT)

§     Study for these exams like it’s a full or part time job; many programs take the test results very seriously – more than your GPA which are suspicious in general due to “grade inflation” concerns

o       Consider an MA/MS program as a pathway to PhD; however, do your homework on funding sources and debt that may come with pursuing an MA degree.

What do graduate programs care about?

o        Find out what are their values, what scholarship or internship do they seem to reward or promote, etc. Do your homework on the programs you are thinking about – faculty scholarship, activity, Linked In profiles and even Facebook pages of faculty and graduate students. Keep a document / file with all this information.

o        Graduate programs ultimately want to know that you can finish their program successfully.

What can you do while you are an undergraduate student?

o        Get experience in your target graduate schools’ areas (e.g., research, hospital, children, labs)

§     Try to present your research or do write up reports

o        Tell your professors that you are interested in graduate school and follow up on any suggestions that they offer you

o        Maintain near perfect grades or as best as you can – 3.0 to 3.5 minimum for some schools for MA level programs; closer to 4.0 will be the most competitive applicants (see contradiction from above about grades!)

o        Make your college papers “count” for exploring aspects of your graduate school interests

o        Make meaningful connections with faculty

§     Not all your professors may have (recent or any) experience with doctoral or professional programs

§     Be aware of “mentors” and “tor-mentors”

§     Volunteer to help professor, assist with conferences, literature reviews and even library runs

What can you do if you have already graduated?

o        Reconnect with your former professors

o        Find (new) faculty in your area of interest and try to connect with them

o        Take a class in your target area or sit in on classes – be aware of pricing and policies for this

o        If appropriate, go for a certificate as a way to get re-engaged in your target field

o        Use “Google scholar” and set up an alert system for your topic

o        Volunteer or work in your area of interest

o        Participate in national and regional conferences in your field – it will update you on your field and connect you with interesting faculty members and advanced graduate students

o        Join associations related to your field(s)

How much should I reveal about my immigration status?

o        In your personal statement, if there is a place to describe your personal journey, this is ideal IF you want

o        Your research or professional motivation might also be tied to your immigration status (or not!)

o        Be ready to “educate” administrative and faculty folks about undocumented issues: websites, policies, etc.

o        Depends on your comfort level

§     a mentor can inquire about immigration issues or attitudes on behalf of “a student”

§     a key contact in the various graduate programs can also help

What is the role of letters of recommendation?

o        Crucial! This is why your connection to others – faculty, supervisors – is essential to being competitive

o        Give your recommenders your statement of purpose, a copy of your transcript (highlight classes you took with her/him), bring any course work you had with her/him, copies of your notes about the programs you are applying to, email reminders for due dates

o        Your recommenders do not have page limits – can elaborate more in-depth or explain aspects of your life/work 

How can I improve my writing samples?

o        Crucial for academic programs – take the BEST analytical / research paper(s) you wrote in college and revise it

§     Most graduate programs do not want to see a marked up version of a paper in an application

o        Perfect writing is expected for your sample – find an editor, friend, or professor to help you! 

o        If you don’t have a college paper, you need to write one; you will truly need help from a professor or an advanced graduate student for this. Form a collective ~ I can help!

o        For last desperate measure, do an annotated bibliography on your topic of interested; email me for materials

What do I include about myself, in general, to present a strong application / statement of purpose?

o        Clean up your online profile – “manage” your graduate school identity before you get there

o        Activist identity – how to manage or present your work in the community

o        Undocumented status – see above – it’s your choice. Faculty and administrators must follow FERPA (student privacy and confidentiality law), which protects your personal information.

o        Other personal information about your journey through education and personal tragedies can be mentioned. I usually advise students to discuss them in a framework that explains specifically how has it shaped you in term of your current goals and aspirations.

Discussion / More Questions?

---

[1] Concurrent sessions are about mentoring, statement of purpose, and funding. I can help answer questions about these issues and will include these topics in my session.

Presented at: 

UndocuGrads Conference

Saturday, June 7, 2014

Panel III 1:00-1:50pm 

Room A - West Earl Warren Room

UCSD Price Center

On Days When I am Overworked

There are days in which I am so overworked, I wonder if this job -- a college professor -- is truly worth it. Feeling over committed and little appreciated. Too much time spent on committee work that is taken for granted. Being a parent of young children makes keeping up my pre-kid work style (e.g., workaholic) impossible. It does not help that, because of dynamics in my hiring cohort, I am one the lowest paid tenured faculty at my campus.

The "math" of how much we spend on our job does not quite calculate, as reported in a wonderful but depressing essay by Nate Kreuter. This is in contrast to a popular idea that college professors have the least stressful jobs in the United States. #Firstworldproblems is a popular hashtag to indicate we - as privileged faculty in the US - have really nothing to complain about; a great example is the essay by Gene Fant, Jr. that describes the international comparison of faculty.

The bright light that draws me closer to my job and swings me into "appreciation mode" is remembering what my students go through and their journey to get to college.

It may seem cliche to say my students are what motivate me to be the best professor possible. I learn about their stories on a weekly basis, mostly in office hours and after class. I have decided to keep track of them; they are the fuel when my tank is empty.

I share here, in just two days of each other, what I learned about my students.

> After squeaking by graduating from high school, F worked as a janitor in a mall. He was taking out the trash and noticed a catalog for MiraCosta College. He paused to look through it and could not believe all the classes that a person could take. He put the catalog in his back pocket and began mopping the floors. Around midnight, he realized that if wanted to do more than be a janitor, he needed to go to school. Something in him told him he could do more. He had thought being undocumented prevented him, but decided - that week - to fill out the application. In two weeks, he was accepted. He eventually transferred to my university, graduated, and then was accepted to our MA program. Even though he was apprehended and deported just as he finished his thesis, he is currently applying to doctoral programs from abroad.

> G's family told her that she learned to read at the age of 4 years old. She would go with her father to the agricultural fields of San Clemente, CA to sell food to the workers. Some of the elderly women (on their breaks) would sit in the dirt with her to teach her letters in Spanish. Her parents tell her that is why she ended up going to college and why she is so smart. In our meeting, G reflected to me that her dad was not just selling food, but giving advice, clothing, resources, and even created an informal lending system. G took two classes from me - an intro level and a senior level - and earned strong grades. Consistent, intelligent and ambitious, G had come to talk with me today about going to graduate school. As we talked about what she might include in a personal statement for MSW programs, she realized that her dad was her first role model for the profession. Loved seeing her experience that "aha" moment!

How lucky am I? How lucky are we to be a small part of these students' journeys.

Being there. Being open. Listening. Being curious about their lives. Taking the time to pause and not worry for 20 minutes about the next appointment, the massive pile of grading, and the shopping that must be done before picking up the kids from daycare.

This is the reason it all ends up working. Students' lives and dreams. When I remember this, 10 years into the profession, I can drive to campus and look forward to the day.

Sociology of Halloween

As many Sociology and Feminist blogs are writing, it's that time of year. The racist, classist, homophobic, sexist tendencies and expressions make me cringe.

This morning, for my Soc 101 class -- a large lecture setting of over 150 students -- I decided to offer an extra credit project. As discussed previously, students struggle with this large GE style class. I like to offer meaningful, analytical extra credit projects through out the semester.

I use Allen Johnson's text called, Forest & the Trees, Sociology as Life, Practice, and Promise and we are about to begin the inequality chapter. So, perfect timing. Feel free to use the assignment (below) and revise it as you wish.

I want to give a shout out to the scholars, blogs and websites that had all the material available. :-) I would love to keep adding to this assignment and publish a bit earlier in the fall for next year. So, I welcome you to post additional links. For example, I don't have a "working class" resource but we certainly have seen offensive "white trash" parties, costumes, etc.

PS -- My own kids are going trick-or-treating as twin witches. I have a 4 year old Pablo and a 3 year old Cecilia. Pablito chose their costumes. We usually do about four houses, and then head back to our own house to hand out candy. Our block is pretty scary for Halloween!

The Sociology of Halloween

STEP 1 - DO SOME RESEARCH AND LEARNING (RACE / GENDER)

1) Watch the video and read the overviews...
http://www.gender-focus.com/2013/10/24/ffff-franchesca-ramseys-halloween-costume-fails/
http://bitchmagazine.org/post/costume-cultural-appropriation
http://www.sociologyinfocus.com/2012/10/29/were-a-culture-not-a-costume/

2) Learn about what is wrong with "black face" costumes here:
http://racismschool.tumblr.com/post/18422652908/black-face-vs-white-face-whats-the-difference

3) Use this website as a way to analyze others' costumes. (In encourage you to make adjustments to your own costume if needed!)
http://www.anorak.co.uk/337909/news/this-hampshire-halloween-checklist-is-your-costume-racist.html/

4) Couples costumes?
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/10/23/heteronormativity-in-halloween-costumes/

5) Sexist costumes - double standard (bacon, yes bacon)
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/10/24/a-halloween-gender-binary/

6) How things have changed? Are girls dressed up "sexier"?
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/10/27/halloween-costumes-then-and-now/

7) American Indian costumes - why they are offensive
http://nativeappropriations.com/2011/10/halloween-costume-shopping-a-sampling-of-the-racism-for-sale.html
http://nativeappropriations.com/2011/10/open-letter-to-the-pocahotties-and-indian-warriors-this-halloween.html

8) Dog costumes
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2013/10/24/can-we-at-least-agree-that-its-racist-to-dress-your-dog-up-like-a-racial-caricature/

9) How do you politely explain to a friend that their chosen Halloween costume could be racist?
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/sexist/2009/10/28/how-to-inform-a-friend-their-halloween-costume-is-racist/

STEP 2 -- OBSERVE YOUR SOCIAL WORLD
 
Whether you dress up or not, on Thursday check out the costumes people are wearing. Become an embedded Sociologist as you attend parties, while you are at work, go trick-or-treating with your kids, or just walk around outside.

Note what people are wearing, note the racial undertones (or racist costumes), the gender performances of men and women in their costumes, etc. Note how people dress their dogs, kids, etc., on these issues as well.

Write up what you see / hear in detail. Insert photos in your word document if you wish. Do this Friday, so your memory is fresh!! (You can send me your notes if you want to show me your progress.)

Then, reflect explicitly on what you have learned from the above websites and resources. Include the course material from Unit 4 / Forest&Trees Chapter 3. Be sure you are clear about what sources you are using and drawing upon in your discussion. Tie all this together -- what you see, what you learned, and your reflections.

No need to do "official" citations but do mention the website, video, or author as you reflect on them.

Aim for 2-3 pages of text. Turn in a paper copy to me in class AND post on "Caring is Sharing Forum" at the top of our course website.

DUE DATE --- Wednesday, November 6 in class / uploaded that night.
 
Earn up to five points!!!

Response to studying for Soc 101 exam - a gentle but firm approach

We have had two exams so far in my introduction to Soc 101 course. It's a "mass class" with 160 students, mostly non-Sociology majors. They take my course as a GE or as pre-requisite for business, nursing, and other majors. I actually welcome these non-majors because I see Soc 101 as a way to "evangelize" and recruit students to the major.

As it so happens, many of these non-majors are not passing the course! However, I stage my grading so that the weight of the first exams accounts for the "shock" of critical thinking and analysis (as opposed to memorizing formulas and anatomy). Also, most students think Sociology is "easy" and also experience the "shock" of not passing their first exam (or second). However, even though half the class may not be passing NOW, many still have a chance. It's structured this way.  Eventually, the majority do pass. Again, the class is structure to reward progress and process.

One of the main issues in the first part of the semester is how students study for the exams. The most frequent response about studying approaches is that they attend class and review lecture notes. Obviously, that is not enough and so I see the opportunity to socialize them not just for my class but also for their general college-level studying skills.

So, below, I share the exchange that I had with a student, which is fairly representative of a few other emails I have received this week as we approach our third exam in the class. (I have preserved the student's privacy by not using her name.) I feel that my approach focuses on the strategies needed for studying and places the responsibility on the student. At the same time, I offer the possibility that it might be an issue beyond just studying. I think this approach allows for mutual respect and a "can do" attitude for trying harder. MCI

 ~~~~ Wednesday 10pm

Hi Professor, 
I am in your soc 101 class on Mondays at 1:00pm. Will you be in your office hours tomorrow, Thursday or Friday? I need to pick up my tests and chat about them! Have a good night.
Thank you, Your Student

 ~~~~ Thursday 8am

Hi Student, 
I won't be on campus but I am happy to chat with you on the phone or we can "chat" via email dialogue. (I don't have office hours today or Friday.) My first question is how have you been studying?? mci

 ~~~~ Thursday 8:20am

Hi Professor,
I have just been reviewing the notes that you post and my notes that I take in class. I am just frustrated because for both tests, I have gotten D's, but I thought that I have gotten B's after I take them. I just don't know what to do because I feel like I am doing everything right. Thank you for all your help.
Thanks,  Your Student 

~~~~ Thursday 8:30am

 Hi Student,

I am glad that you are taking the first steps for studying: reviewing the notes. But, it's not enough and it seems that your grades are showing it. Thankfully, you have four days (including weekend) to study with a different approach.

I suggest rather than reviewing the lecture notes that you take it one step more -- make flash cards for example.

Are you taking reading notes on the chapters from the book? Do that as well.

Are you using the study guide questions for each book chapter? Literally answer each one.

Do you read over the supplemental material -- like the blogs, new articles, and short video clips? All of those are meant to deepen your understanding of the concepts that are presented each class session.

Have you use the film guides and actually written them out as you watch the films? This will help you actually apply your knowledge and invites you find connections between "real life" and the Sociological content.

I am assuming that you are attending class AND picking up on what I have emphasized as important (aka what I will ask you about on the exam).

Let me know what you think of these suggestions. Perhaps there are steps you have actually done but have not realized? Importantly, I want to know what is your plan to study differently / better for the upcoming exam.

Finally, if you are do all of this and still earn a low grade, let's talk FOR SURE about this. At that point, I will ask you to bring ALL of your studying material so we can analyze the gaps of understanding, etc.

I look forward to hearing from you!! :-) I hope this is helpful to you and your future success!  MCI

~~~~ still awaiting response from student!