In this Oakland classroom, students teach each other their home languages — and learn acceptance

This story was originally published on Public Radio International’s The World. You can listen to the radio story here:

In Acacia WoodsChan’s ethnic studies class at Castlemont High School in Oakland, students chat with each other in Spanish, Arabic and Mam, a Mayan language from Guatemala. The students have only been in the U.S. for a few weeks or months. Some are from Yemen and many are from countries in Central America — Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.