Negative stereotypes about Africa abound in American schools and in the media, making it virtually impossible for newly arrived African students, whether immigrants or refugees, to accomplish their goals of getting a quality education. African students arrive on American shores with vibrant hope and expectancy that their American education will surpass even their wildest dreams. However, once they have encountered the typical American school setting their hopes of getting this exalted education are quickly dashed. In this article, the author presents the findings of a study that examined the schooling experiences of recently arrived students from Africa. Findings reveal that schooling in America was not what these students expected, and the way they were received and perceived was demoralizing and denigrating. The relationship between the African and African American students at Jackson, the site of this study, was described as openly "hostile." Jackson High has about 2,000 students, 88% African American and about 200 newly arrived students from eight different countries on the continent of Africa.