Mr. Chairman. I rise In opposition to the Gallegly amendment which would allow States the option of denying education benefits to undocumented children. This amendment Is unconstitutional. It is a direct attack on Plyer versus Doe. the Supreme Court decision which said that making access to education dependent on immigration status Is a violation of the equal protection clause. This amendment runs counter to the goals of American public education. Any State that makes access to education dependent on Immigration status would remove school employees from their traditional role as educators and turn them into quasiINS agents. Financially strapped schools would be forced to shift scarce resources from teachers. books. and infrastructure to the training of school personnel and enforcement costs. The Gallegly amendment unfairly punishes undocumented children for the actions of their parents. Denying children access to education will create an underclass of illiterate. uneducated Individuals. at a moment when America needs a skilled work force to compete in the global economy. Ultimately. it makes more sense to have children in the classroom rather than on the streets.
Keywords matched
undocumented Immigration immigration