Matthew Knoester is a professor and chair of the Educational Studies Department at Ripon College. Maura G. Robinson is a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) consultant and coach to school districts and organizations. Touorizou Hervé Somé is an associate professor in the Educational Studies Department at Ripon College.

• ContentsSeries Foreword James A. Banks  xiiiAcknowledgments  xixIntroduction  1Transitioning From Nesting Instincts to the Socialization of Schooling  2Common Questions That Arise for Parents  4Many Purposes for Schools  6Parents and Teachers  7About This Book  10About the Authors  11A Safe Place for Inquiry  12Discussion Questions  131.  Education for Democracy  15Educational Needs of a Democracy  17Deciding on the Curriculum  19Educational Governance  21Book Bans and Other Violations of the Principle of Non-Repression  23Unequal School Budgets  24Conclusion  25Discussion Questions  262.  Integration and Intercultural Competence  29Demographics and Segregation  29Benefits of Integrated Schooling  31Interrupting Racism  37Conclusion  39Discussion Questions  393.  Education and Culture  41Coming to the United States  41Underestimation of Parental Knowledge  44When Parents May Need to Speak Up on Behalf of Their Children  45What Can Teachers and Schools Learn From Parents and Families?  48Culturally Responsive Teaching  50The Value of Academic Language in Schools  51Culture and Economic Inequality  53Conclusion  57Discussion Questions  584.  Improving Communication Between Families and Schools  59One-Way Communication: Newsletters  60One-Way Communication: Grades and Report Cards  65One-Way Communication: Standardized Test Scores  67Another Cautionary Note About Written Communications Sent Home to Families  69Two-Way Communication: Parent–Teacher Conferences  71Two-Way Communication: Individualized Education Program (IEPs) and 504 Plans  73Two-Way Communication: Family Nights  75Two-Way Communication: Book Study Discussions  76Conclusion  78Discussion Questions  795.  The Most Challenging Aspects of Building Trust  81Homework  83Discipline  85The Challenge of Sending Mixed Messages to Parents  89Unequal Voice for Parents Within Schools  91Confronting Race and Racism in Schools  92Additional Concerns About Trust in Schools  97Conclusion  99Discussion Questions  1006.  Enhanced Parental Involvement in Schools  101It May Take a Village, but Parents’ First Priority Is Their Own Family  102Volunteering in the School  103Advocacy at the City Level  105Organizing in Buffalo, New York  107Organizing in Southern Indiana  111Suggestions for Organizing  113Conclusion  115Discussion Questions  1167.  Conclusion  119Education and Democracy  121Summary of the Book  124Conclusion  128Discussion Questions  129Recommended Reading for Future Book Studies  131References  133Index  141About the Authors  147