Dive Brief:
- California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson has urged administrators to come out in defense of immigrant children by declaring their districts “safe havens,” making clear their plans to protect students from any Trump administration orders that could endanger their families.
- EdSource surveyed the state’s 25 largest districts, finding nine have passed resolutions declaring they would protect immigrant children, which could put them at risk of losing federal funding following a Jan. 25 executive order by President Donald Trump.
- EdSource reports the Jan. 25 order referred to “jurisdictions” that declare themselves sanctuaries for immigrants, and it is unclear whether schools would be included in that definition — though Los Angeles Unified has said it would turn to foundations and voters for funding if necessary.
Dive Insight:
In 1982, the Supreme Court's ruling in Plyler v. Doe found that undocumented immigrant children could not be denied access to a free public education. Ultimately, the rationale was that even if parents broke immigration laws to come to or stay in this country, school-aged children should not be punished for that when it comes to immigration. One fear was that if these children were locked out of a free education, they would be doomed to form a permanent underclass.
Some argue work restrictions on so-called Dreamers prevent them from making college affordable or using their degrees for good jobs down the line, forcing them into this underclass, but so far the Plyler v. Doe decision has stood to give undocumented immigrant children equal access at the K-12 level. Trump would have a hard time pulling funding from schools that protect or serve these children, though ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is one concrete way he can limit their opportunities after high school.
