At a critical moment for education in the United States, congressmen Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) and Frederica Wilson (FL-24) led a coalition of 77 legislators that require the Department of Education and the Department of Justice that restore essential protections for English learning students (English Learners, the). The measure arrives after both agencies terminated a federal guide of 2015 that clarified the obligations of the states towards these students, a setback that, according to legislators, threatens to weaken the application of existing laws and leave millions of families without protection.
The letter sent by the congressmen claims that the 2015 guide be restored, fully financed and the English language acquisition office (OELA) and the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) are financed, and the supervision and compliance mechanisms are restored. In addition, legislators ask that agencies clarify how they will comply with the laws and precedents in force in practice.
Congressman Adriano Espaillat, first Dominican-American elected to the United States Congress, expressed firmly: “Each student in our nation deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and reach their goals. However, the latest actions of the Department of Education are focused on stripping the progress we have achieved to support millions of students from English. We can not give us the luxury of leaving these students and their families Revert the course and establish protections that help them prosper. “
For his part, the representative Jesús “Chuy” García, who lived in his own flesh the challenges of English being an immigrant child, warned about the seriousness of the decision: “This administration is doing everything possible to create a lower social class by denying even the most basic right, such as education, to people with immigrant roots. Almost 5 million students of English learning throughout the country depend on the fact that the schools comply with their legal obligations Educational, and most of them are American citizens. of your children. “
The representative Frederica Wilson, whose district in southern Florida concentrates communities of immigrants, stressed that the decision directly affects thousands of working families: “I represent a community rich in immigrants. In southern Florida – and throughout the country – many of our children in schools are English apprentices who simply try to build their future. The United States is built by immigrants from all areas of life, however, this administration It will not stop at all to terrorize immigrants by all possible means, even pointing to children in the classroom. The president says wanting, and betrays this nation’s commitment to immigrants.
The claim of legislators also received the support of community organizations and civil rights defense. Janet Murguía, president and executive director of United, the largest National Defense Organization of Latinos, said: “To rescind this civil rights guide is the last attack of the Trump administration against the children’s apprentices of English. End the guide should not be an excuse to deny the right of a student to a quality education. We support the call of the representative Garcia so that the guide is immediately restored.
A setback with national consequences
The decision to eliminate the 2015 guide not only implies an administrative change. According to experts, it opens the door to lower supervision in the application of the Law on Primary and Secondary Education and the Civil Rights Law, which protect English learning students. These students, who add up to 5 million throughout the country, depend on specialized support to overcome the linguistic barrier and access an equitable education.
Without this guide, parents with limited domain of English would also be reduced their ability to make informed decisions about the education of their children, which generates a domino effect in entire communities.
A political and social battle
Congressmen argue that the elimination of this orientation reflects a broader pattern of policies that affect immigrants in different areas, from labor security to education. For them, the measure seeks to marginalize entire communities by denying basic rights such as quality education.
The debate occurs in a context of growing political polarization around immigration and civil rights. However, the coalition of 77 legislators signed by the letter sends a clear message: defending English apprentices is not only a matter of educational justice, but also a commitment to the fundamental values of the country.
