Addressing the Social Realities of Refugee Students in New Brunswick: It Is Time to AACT

Canada has grown by nearly 5,000,000 people since 2015, primarily through immigration policies from the federal government. In New Brunswick, where this chapter is set, the population has grown by over 100,000 people in that time span. Thousands of those newcomers are families and children with refugee experiences and backgrounds. Our Atlantic Antiracism Collaboration Team (AACT) consists of teachers, academics, researchers, international students, scientists, and government employees. It is our vision that New Brunswick and Canada become an educational landscape where every learner can thrive in just and inclusive environments. In our team’s writing for this book, the authors present five stories that arose from our research and real-time teaching in Canadian classrooms and schools. Each story highlights common educational realities that involve educators, school leaders, and students with refugee backgrounds. The authors examine and unpack each story and provide the reader with socially just and antiracist educational approaches that they may consider in responding to similar situations that may occur in their lived experiences and teaching lives. As Canada continues to be a beacon of hope for refugee families across the world, our team believes it is time for every educator, school leader, and school district to prepare to AACT for social justice.