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发帖数: 1695 | 1 【 以下文字转载自 SanFrancisco 讨论区 】
发信人: bighead10 (北美渔民), 信区: SanFrancisco
标 题: Obama's new initiative
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Wed May 21 09:43:39 2014, 美东)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration said Thursday that troubling
reports continue of school districts raising barriers to enrollment for
children brought into the U.S. illegally.
The Justice Department and Education Department issued new guidance
reminding schools and districts they have a legal obligation to enroll every
student regardless of their immigration status. The guidance says schools
should be flexible in deciding which documents they will accept to prove a
student’s age or residency.
It also reminds them not to ask about a student’s immigration status or
require documents such as a driver’s license, if that would prevent a
student from enrolling because of a parent’s immigration status.
The Education Department said it has received 17 complaints since 2011 from
states including Colorado, North Carolina, Ohio, Louisiana, Michigan, New
Mexico and the District of Columbia.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan said that in some instances, school leaders
have inappropriately required information such as a child’s visa status or
date of entry into the United States.
Justice Department officials said they also have taken action, sometimes
collaboratively with the Education Department and sometimes working
separately. The Justice Department has entered into settlement agreements
with school districts in states such as Georgia, Florida, and Virginia. And
it said that after it contacted officials in Alabama, the state education
department sent guidance to districts spelling out that they may not bar or
discourage students from enrollment because they lack a Social Security
number or birth certificate or because their parents don’t have an Alabama
driver’s license.
In a settlement with the Henry County, Georgia, school district, the
district agreed to ensure that a parent’s decision not to provide a child’
s Social Security number will not keep the child from enrolling. And in one
with the district in Palm Beach County, Florida, the district agreed to
provide translation help at time of enrollment and to not deny enrollment to
homeless students lacking documentation.
Officials from the two departments said they have found that states and
districts are willing to work with the federal government on the issue.
‘‘It’s a tribute to educators around the country that they recognize how
important it is for kids to be able to attend school and are willing to take
the steps necessary to ensure they aren’t even inadvertently chilling
students’ willingness or families’ willingness to attend them,’’ said
Jocelyn Samuels, acting assistant attorney general for civil rights in the
Justice Department.
Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters his department ‘‘will do
everything it can to make sure schools meet this obligation.’’
Children brought into the U.S. illegally are guaranteed the right to a K-12
education under the 1982 Supreme Court decision Plyler v. Doe.
Noelle M. Ellerson, associate executive director for policy and advocacy at
AASA: The School Superintendents Association, said in an email that the
association appreciates the additional clarification.
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