Under a new plan, parents who want to enroll their children in public schools in Oklahoma would need to show proof of their child’s U.S. citizenship or legal immigration status. This is part of an effort to support President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
Oklahoma’s education board was planning to vote on new rules on Tuesday. These rules are still in the early stages and need to be approved by lawmakers and the governor before they can be put into action. Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters has proposed that while students without legal standing can still attend schools, school districts must keep track of their numbers.
In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that children who are in the country illegally can go to public schools. However, some lawmakers with conservative views have raised concerns about whether these immigrants should have access to public schooling.
Walters has stated that he would back Trump’s efforts to enforce immigration laws, which includes letting federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement enter schools in Oklahoma.
“Walters said in a statement that schools are struggling because of many illegal immigrants and the Biden/Harris open border policy.” “Oklahomans and the nation chose President Trump, and we will do our best to prioritize Oklahoma students.”
Walters has used a lot of his first term to criticize what he calls “woke” ideas in public schools. He wants Bible lessons in Oklahoma classes and is trying to remove certain books from school libraries.
Teachers and civil liberty groups have strongly slammed the plan, and it has created fear among immigrant communities in Oklahoma, according to Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, a Democrat from the Hispanic-populated south side of Oklahoma City.
“The community is clearly very scared,” said Alonso-Sandoval. “I’ve talked to parents, and they are just trying to give their kids the best chance they can, like any parents would.” Parents are beginning to ask, “Should I take my child out of school?”
At Oklahoma City Public Schools, one of the state’s largest districts with a student population that is 57% Hispanic, Superintendent Jamie Polk said in a letter to parents and staff last month after the rule was first proposed that federal law guarantees every child’s right to public education regardless of immigration status.
“OKCPS does not collect, and has no plans to collect, the immigration status of our students or their families,” she said.
For many years, children from families living in the country without formal permission have been allowed to go to public school because of a 1982 Supreme Court ruling called Plyler v. Doe. In a 5-4 decision, the justices ruled that it is wrong to deny children an education because of their immigration situation.
In 2011, Alabama tried to make public schools ask students about their immigration status as part of a new immigration law. However, after a federal appeals court stopped this requirement briefly, the state decided to permanently remove it.
Immigration experts warn that efforts to challenge the Plyler decision should be taken seriously. They note that recent Supreme Court rulings have changed long-standing rules about abortion rights and affirmative action in college admissions.
Leave a Comment