Amanda's+Blog

The following was originally published March 29, 2009 at http://sihablamosespanol.blogspot.com/2009/03/plyler-v-doe-data-on-undocumented.html

The Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe is a key case concerning the education of illegal immigrants in the United States. It was decided that public schools could not deny K-12 education based on a student’s immigration status. Part of this decision was based on the idea that these students, in most cases, did not decide to immigrate illegally to the United States on their own, but were instead brought here by their parents, and therefore denying them the right to an education is giving them a punishment they do not deserve. Although the students are allowed this public education from kindergarten through the twelfth grade, what happens after graduation? Are they then allowed to apply to colleges and universities in order to receive a higher education?

The article “Data on the Undocumented,” written by Elizabeth Redden of //Inside Higher Ed //, explains this situation and attempts to clear up the uncertainty that surrounds this rarely discussed topic. The statistics in the article are based on a survey from the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, that of which 613 of the more than 2,000 colleges filled out. Overall, it was seen that 96.9 percent of colleges and universities do inquire about citizenship or legal residency status in the form of a question, but what they then do with that answer varies greatly. Many colleges and universities will accept the undocumented students and allow them to enroll but charge them out-of-state tuition, and they are not eligible for federal financial aid. Other colleges are taking the opposite approach and making college more affordable for these undocumented applicants, understanding that they are not eligible for federal financial aid and cannot legally work in the United States.

The article attempts to clarify a very important question that many people living in the United States must face, whether they are an illegal immigrant, a school counselor, a teacher, a college admissions officer, etc. It is interesting to see how different colleges and universities deal with the situation in different ways, and there is not one uniformed approach to it. Some schools seem to work on a don’t ask, don’t tell policy concerning legal status, while others openly say, “We welcome applications of undocumented students and will consider them just as we would any other application.”

In my opinion, a person should not be denied education at any level based on his or her status in the United States. As mentioned earlier, most of these aspiring students did not choose to come here on their own but were instead brought here by their parents or another relative. They should not in turn be punished and put at a great disadvantage because of this. It is understandable that undocumented students are not eligible for federal financial aid; however colleges and universities should still attempt to work with these students to help set up payment plans or introduce them to scholarship options. Also they should inform the students about their options in becoming a United States citizen or of legal status so that they can complete their degree and enter the workforce. Overall, the main goal concerning education and undocumented students should be to help them achieve their goals, not hinder them. The parents of these students brought them here, most likely, for a better life, and as education professionals I think we should give them that chance.