Artifact 5: Education for Immigrants

Education is valued in the United States and in Mexico children are not getting the proper schooling they need, so when children travel to the U.S. it is crucial that they attend school or they will not have a good life. 

The Justice and Education Departments are teaming up to remind public schools that they are required to provide equal education to all children regardless of their citizenship or immigration. All children should be given the chance to receive an education, hopefully graduate high school and then go on to college. There are many things that are going into school so that immigrants can attend without being denied. School are now excepting proof of residency forms instead of drivers licenses because my immigrants do not have their license. To prove a student meets the age requirements they require some sort of certificate that shows their date of birth. Although, schools are not allowed to discourage students from enrolling because they do not have a birth certificate. School also issue you provide your social security number, that is voluntary, but if you refuse to give it they will still allow the student to attend school. 

This article relates to The Distance Between Us because the first thing that Reyna’s father told her and her siblings was that school was their priority. If they got bad grades or didn’t try they would be sent back because what’s the point of moving to the United States if you don't have an education? Reyna, Carlos and Mago were all excellent students except for the fact that they didn’t know any English. As Reyna entered Junior High she was taken out of the ELS program and was switched into regular English. She entered and short story contest and won, from then on she knew what she loved. Mago was also the first one in her entire family, mom and dads side, to graduate high school. Education goes a long way in the United States. 

Article: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/feds-to-schools-you-must-accept-children-of-undocumented-immigrants/