An educator’s plea to teach all children, including immigrants |
An educator’s plea to teach all children, including immigrants
In 1982, the Supreme Court made a clear and principled decision in Plyler v. Doe: Children in the U.S. are entitled to a public education from kindergarten through 12th grade, regardless of immigration status. The court recognized something fundamental: Children must not be punished for circumstances they did not create.
That principle has held for more than four decades. It is now under a direct and coordinated attack.
The Heritage Foundation, a driving force behind broader policy efforts such as Project 2025, along with White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller, the Federation for American Immigration Reform and elected officials, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), have backed efforts to dismantle or challenge this landmark ruling. Legislators in several states have followed with measures designed to erode what has long been settled law.
On March 18, these arguments were advanced before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government in a hearing titled “Immigration Policy by Court Order: The Adverse Effects of Plyler v. Doe.” The ruling was framed as “judicial overreach.” It is nothing of the sort. Denying children an education is not a constitutional correction: It is a moral regression.
For decades, educators, civil rights organizations and legal advocates have defended........