The issue of illegal immigration and its affect on public schools has grown significantly over the past two decades. Following the Pyler vs. Doe ruling in 1982, many undocumented students began attending public schools. States can no longer use residency requirements to deny undocumented children access to a tuition-free public education. Under Plyler, undocumented immigrant students have the same right to attend public schools through grade 12 as do citizens and permanent residents. Plyler, moreover, requires that schools apply the right of access to all immigrant students. This legislation has created an escalating contentious issue due to the current major influx of Hispanic students and the lack of resources available. The spiraling cost of educating illegal alien students is resulting in larger classes, a demand for bilingual teachers, and cuts in other programs. Teachers are required to meet the needs of non English speaking students without adequate training support. In addition, the federal government requires schools to meet federal legislation and “leave no child behind” as an unfunded mandate.
I support The Immigration Reform Agenda for the 110th Congress as a move towards resolution. The legislative agenda lays out the critical reforms to federal immigration laws and enforcement capabilities needed to redirect U.S. immigration policy and get it back on track. I also support The Dream Act which gives amnesty to illegal aliens who arrived in the U.S. before the age of 16 and reverses the current law to allow states to provide in-state tuition to illegal aliens. Due to the complexity of the problem, the government has not agreed on a bi partisan approach while daily the concerns in schools grow.
From my humanistic side, I recognize schools are a safe haven for children. In spite of all the problems that parents, the government and other citizens have, teachers and administrations must foster acceptance, security and trust in both schools and communities, all of which undocumented children desperately need. We cannot hold children accountable for their parent’s decisions to break the law and remain an illegal alien. We need resources to hire, train and retrain competent staff that can provide appropriate services and develop strong working relationships with the families. An open and hospitable climate is imperative for all children. Illegal immigrant children desperately need a positive climate as they transition to an unfamiliar setting with rules and boundaries. Our government must set aside more resources to education in order for illegal immigrant children to be an effective and productive contributor to our society.
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6 comments:
Very interesting post. There is a lack of support for teachers who have children of immigrants as students. Often, the parents of these children do not speak english, making any type of communication or conference about school very difficult. If more funding isn't allocated for support of both teachers and students (illegal immigrants), the students will not be able to grow to be a functioning and helpful part of society. We need to strengthen our country from the inside out. Very nice post.
I thought this was a very interesting post to read. I liked how you presented both sides of the issue. You pointed out the difficulties thrown on our system as we try to support these immigrant students but you also addressed the calling placed on us as human beings to provide basic rights to the children. I'm still a little confused on the ramifications of the legislature you said you support. What type of critical reforms would be set out by the immigration Reform Agenda for the 110th congress? I guess, I'm just a little unsure of what it means for you to support these acts. I think you made a very clear and knowledgeable post though!
This is Kirstin posting from Brooke's blog:
Ok after reading your post I understand the dilemna that our government is having with illegal aliens. On one side we are trying to do what's right and either ask them to become legal or make them leave the United States. But on the other hand, how can we punish the illegal aliens who are children and did not have any say when their parents moved them here.
Another thing that I noticed in this post is the tone you used. You presented your theory by expressing several view points. But I do agree that we should not punish the students. They should be allowed an education.
The proposals for The Immigration Reform Agenda for the 110th Congress can be found at http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=leg_110_reform_agenda . The website acknowledges the progress and initiatives made by 109th Congress, yet it claims that overall “Congress did not pass a comprehensive reform package.” The website goes on to say that “no action was taken on the urgent need to limit and roll back immigration, no action was taken to eliminate abuse in the refugee and asylum program, and an immense backlog still exists in processing immigration applications due to slow-moving background checks.”
Here are some of the main aspects of the legislative agenda:
• Cut the numbers of legal permanent residents while still allowing for the maintenance of nuclear families
• Secure the borders with sufficient resources and manpower to stop the influx of illegal aliens
• Apply strong worksite enforcement by raising fines and implementing a mandatory Electronic Eligibility Verification System
• Eliminate document fraud by securing the Social Security card and increased training for federal, stat and local law enforcement officers on the detection of fraudulent documents
• Encourage state and local law enforcement authorities to enforce immigration laws
• Improve the detention and removal process
• Enhance ability of DHS and DOJ to enforce laws and provide resources
• Intensive congressional oversight required on an ongoing basis by updating technology and training of personnel
Great work.
Nice post.
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