If the Student Is Good, Let Him Fly: Moral Support for College Among Latino Immigrant Parents

The propensity of Latino immigrant parents to provide moral support for education has been well-documented, as has the influence of parent involvement on achievement and college-going. One route toward improving Latino school outcomes and college access is to better understand the cultural logic of parents' actions. This article draws on data from an ethnographic study to explore the possibilities and constraints of parents' moral support role. It documents parents' strategies and shows how these were shaped by social location, cultural models, and family dynamics in adapting to immigrants' ecocultural niche. Implications for parent outreach and college access programs are discussed.