Friend,
All children have the right to access public education. But, in the
U.S., some schools are putting up a fight when it comes to enrolling
immigrant children.
Thirty-nine years ago, in its landmark Plyler v. Doe decision, the
U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that all children have the right to enroll
in and attend public school, regardless of immigration status. The
ruling emphasized that "education has a fundamental role in
maintaining the fabric of our society."
Yet, immigrant students, the children of immigrants and English
learners continue to face barriers that block access to public
education. In some cases, schools deny enrollment to these students
outright. More commonly, schools impose documentation requirements
that result in the discouragement or effective denial of these
students' enrollment.
That's why we created a new guide for advocates and caregivers
that shares basic tools to promote access to public education for all
students, regardless of their background. The guide, Protecting
Students' Rights to a Public Education: A Guide for Advocates
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, makes it easy for families and students to understand what the
Plyler v. Doe decision means for them and learn how to take action if
necessary.
You can read and share the manual for free here.
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In the past decade, state and local governments have attacked the
rights of immigrants and their families through laws designed to
burden their everyday lives - most infamously, Arizona's
SB 1070 and Alabama's HB 56, which explicitly targeted the
rights of immigrant children to a public education.
Unfortunately, attacks on immigrant students' access to
education will likely continue. But, by arming caregivers and
advocates with the information they need to push back against
discriminatory policies, we can fight these attempts to segregate
immigrant children.
View the manual here to learn more about students' and
families' rights, practical information for enrolling immigrant
and English learner students, and view a sample letter to a school
district identifying problematic policies and suggestions on how to
change them.
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In solidarity,
Your friends at the Southern Poverty Law Center
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