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I recently read caught up on some news about the survivors of the Haiti earthquake. Some 600 survivors enrolled in the Palm Beach county school districts and they are making a smooth transition, says school officials. The Haiti earthquake took place earlier this year, January to be exact, and it was one of the most devastating natural disasters to have happened since Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. The students were placed in schools best suited in the student's interest. Not only will they have a warm welcome from the student body and community but district will be looking out for them and making sure that they transition well into their new surroundings. If more students arrive, the district said that it will make more room for them. (If you would like to read the full article, click here)
The story above is amazing to me. I am strong advocate of helping not only the community that we will live in, but also the ones outside our perimeter. We do live in one world, in one society, so I believe we have a moral responsibility to our society and to help others around us as much as we can. Although not the same, this situation reminds of the one that is currently occurring at our borders. There is a huge debate on whether or not we should teach children of illegal immigrants. For however long it may have been, people have been making their way into the U.S. territory to make a new life for themselves; to live out the American Dream. Some come here on sponsorship, apply for citizenship and some cross over illegal. But for some reason, it is more noticeable when it comes from the Mexico border. My view on illegal immigration is irrelevant to the issue of teaching children of illegal immigrants. I am a teacher, not an immigration officer or someone that works with homeland security. As a citizen and as a teacher I believe in offering an equal opportunity to every children in the world, whether or not they are here in the US illegally or legally is really not up to me to decide. I know it's a fighting and debatable issue that we have going on and it will be on the hot seat for quite some time. Many people will have certain views on this particular issue. My personal opinion is that very child deserves an equal educational opportunity, whether they are of illegal US status or a survivor from a natural disaster.
What are your views on teaching children of immigration status?
The Haiti article warmed my heart, but thinking about it in context with our own U.S. immigration issues made me sad. I don't know how one set of immigrant children can be okay and one cannot be. It is great that Palm Beach is stepping up to the plate, but it also highlights the inequality in our schools. These "immigrant children" at our borders need an education. They are here because their parents wanted to give them a better opportunity, and with the violence in Mexico I cannot blame them.
ReplyDeleteThere are many types of immigrants in the U.S.-- from world-class scientists and engineers to the undocumented and from all corners of the world. For the "illegal" immigrants, if there is no way of stopping people from crossing the borders, then the best strategy is to educate them. I support equal opportunities for immigrant children. R-J
ReplyDeleteI think this is an important topic and I completely support equal opportunities for these children. These children are not the ones that made the decision to come into this country illegally. They are a product of their environment and we should do our best to educate them and give them a fair chance in this world.
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