ABSTRACT
The children of foreign workers, whether they migrated with their parents or were born in the country of immigration, have become a social and political reality that is being dealt with now at many different levels in the countries of Western Europe. On the policy level there are heated discussions about whether most of these children will remain in the countries of immigration or whether many of them should be considered potential return migrants. Depending on the answer arrived at, it follows that the task of the educational system is either to assure the integration and assimilation of these children or to prepare them for re-integration into their countries of origin. Because this issue remains unresolved, it has generated a variety of discussions among educational administrators, teachers, and researchers. Many institutions, from political parties to trade unions, have made their positions known more or less explicitly (Unger, 1980; Niederberger, 1980). Educational researchers and sociologists have asked whether these children are at a disadvantage in school, whether they have more difficulties in the transition from school to professional life than Swiss children, and whether they are at a disadvantage in their chosen occupations. In addition, they have examined educational and occupational aspirations of the foreign children and their deviant or criminal behavior. The mass media also report frequently sensational stories on the latter subject, which are likely to create apprehension in the public.
