Undocumented Children Have Right to Education

WASHINGTON, DC – Recently, The Leadership Conference Education Fund launched Spanish language radio ads in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Georgia, Arkansas, and New Mexico regarding civil rights protections for undocumented students.

The Constitution guarantees, and the Supreme Court’s Plyler v. Doe decision affirmed, all children in the United States have an equal right to attend public school regardless of immigration status. The 36th anniversary of this landmark case is on Friday, June 15. The ads come after false and confusing congressional testimony from Education Secretary Betsy DeVos about the rights of immigrant children and schools’ obligation to protect all students.
In a letter to Secretary DeVos last month, over 160 civil rights and education groups called on Secretary Betsy DeVos to clarify that she understands and will enforce federal laws protecting the rights of immigrant children to attend schools.

The radio spot in Spanish can be heard here, and the English translation can be heard here.
The transcript of the ad is as follows:

The Constitution and the Supreme Court guarantee all children in the United States the right to attend school regardless of immigration status. This means a school can’t call ICE on any child and has to allow a child to enroll even if they’re undocumented. Any school that denies immigrant children this right is breaking the law. Go to www.informedimmigrant.com/ to learn more about immigrant students’ civil rights.

The Leadership Conference Education Fund builds public will for federal policies that promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. The Education Fund’s campaigns empower and mobilize advocates around the country to push for progressive change in the United States. It was founded in 1969 as the education and research arm of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. For more information on The Education Fund, visit http://leadershipconferenceedfund.org/.