Monday, October 16, 2017

DACA Teachers Face Danger of Deportation






There has a great deal of news in recent weeks about the current administration’s plans to deal with DACA children. Estimates indicate that there are approximately 800,000 people in the US who fall in that category. And while changes in government policy will have an impact on those DACA students currently enrolled in school, nothing has been mentioned about teachers. According to a USA Today article, there may be as many as 20,000 DACA teachers currently employed in schools throughout the United States. These are teachers who came into the United States as children with undocumented parents. They attended school, obtained good grades, were admitted to colleges and universities and graduated with degrees. They were also able to obtain teaching certifications in the various states. Some obtained advanced degrees and are teaching in institutions of higher education.
Imagine what would happen if those teachers were deported. They came here, not on their own volition, and made the best of the American experience.

According to reports from labor unions and professional teacher organizations, there are already significant teacher shortages throughout the nation’s public schools. Some estimates are cited at over 300,000. A loss of 20,000 additional teachers could be catastrophic, especially if you agree that many of these teachers are bi-lingual and speak fluent Spanish.

IT is imperative that the education community stay on top of this issue, by contacting their legislators, writing editorials and letter to the editor to keep this issue in the public forefront.


C.2017 J. Margolis

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