Unfair
justice too close to home
We have all heard about and seen some
disturbing ways a person’s right to an education has been taken away among many
different countries around the world. Did you know that people here in the
United States are facing this same issue by not being able to get a higher education?
A 1982 Supreme Court decision, guaranteed undocumented children the right to a
free public school education, although this ruling was only subjected to apply
through high school. During this court case Edward Drachman, author of a
journal article, Access to Higher
Education for Undocumented Students, wrote about how important getting an
education is. Drachman talked about what would happen to these undocumented
students if they were denied an education, “it imposes a lifetime hardship on a
discrete class of children not accountable for their disabling status, [and
that] the stigma of illiteracy will mark them for the rest of their lives.” So
wouldn’t the inability to get a higher education have the same effect on them?
Why are we making it almost impossible for these individuals to get the higher
education they are seeking?
Some
of the ways we are making it impossible for these individuals to get a higher
education is by not giving them the same rights citizens are getting. By this I
mean we are not allowing them to get in-state tuition rates or financial
assistance. This is making it financially impossible for many of these students
to pursue their educational goals. California is one of the few states allowing
for students to get in-state tuition and financial aid after the 2011 dream act
passed into a law. This law states if a student is pursuing to get on the path
of citizenship they will be eligible for such benefits. It is time we make this
policy universal to the entire United States. It is time that we give these
hard working individuals the same opportunity as the rest of us. Let them get
their education and put their hard work to use in this country that is supposed
to be the “Land of Opportunity”
Drachman, Edward. "Access To Higher Education
For Undocumented Students." Peace Review 18.1 (2006): 91-100.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 June 2013
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