Dive Brief:
- The state of New York's Department of Education has announced plans to review school enrollment procedures — a move meant to ensure children of undocumented immigrants are not being denied access to school.
- News of the review comes on the heels of a New York Times feature that reported that children of undocumented immigrants on Long Island were being denied access to school because their families couldn't provide the required documents proving their citizenship or guardianship.
- Denying a child access to education is in direct violation of federal law since it's the responsibility of public schools to educate all children, regardless of citizenship standing.
Dive Insight:
The United States has seen an influx in children from Central America — specifically from Honduras and El Salvador — who have run away to escape gang violence and poverty. According to the New York Times, these students were forced to stay at home for months since they didn't have the proper documentation. In August, the U.S. Department of Education issued a detailed fact sheet on the responsibilities of each state's public schools to educate all students.
The article on excluding students definitely hit home for some. As Ilana Horn wrote in a series of tweets:
The @nytimes story about excluding immigrant students from school hurts to read. That district missed the point of public education.
— Ilana Horn (@tchmathculture) October 21, 2014
One of the things I cherished about being a public school teacher was the chance to try to teach so many different kids. It is a privilege.
— Ilana Horn (@tchmathculture) October 21, 2014