by Soraya Schwartz
Hispanic Link News Service
It is possible that the children in Alabama, whose parents immigrated illegally to the US, do not attend school this year, following the passing of state law HB56, which demands schools to collect information regarding students’ citizenship.
The law, signed on June 9 by the Republican Governor Robert Bentley, will enter into force on September 1. An amicus curiae was presented before the court, together with a protest about the law’s provisions regarding education, by the National Education Association and the Alabama Education Association. Several civil rights advocacy groups adhered to the amicus curiae, including the National Council of La Raza.
“We fervently agree– and is stipulated by the Supreme Court– that every student has the right to receive quality public education, regardless their migration status”, said Alice O’Brien, legal advisor for the National Education Association.
“The role played by the teachers is to teach our kids, not to report them”.
The law HB56 states that the teacher would commit a state felony if he or she doesn’t reveal information regarding the citizenship of the students.
The HB56 also stipulates that it is legal to detain any person who resides in Alabama, with a foreign looking aspect, to ask him or her to produce citizenship documents, and that any person who houses or protects an undocumented individual could face legal actions.
“This law reminds us to racist laws such as Jim Crow from Alabama and other Southern states”, said Bernard Simelton, head of the State Conference NAACP in Alabama. “HB56 is a contemporary attempt to legalize racism in Alabama”.
