SAN ANTONIO – As Oklahoma education board members move to police the immigration status of students, questions arise about whether similar measures could be implemented in Texas.
This week, Oklahoma education board members approved a rule that would require families to show proof of citizenship when students are enrolled. The proposal still needs legislative approval and the governor’s signature before it can take effect.
KSAT emailed the Texas Education Agency to see if there are any policy changes regarding immigration information gathered when students enroll in the state’s public schools. The TEA did not reply to our emails.
We also reached out to State Board of Education member Marisa B. Perez-Diaz, who represents San Antonio.
In an email, Perez-Diaz said there was no indication that this would be an item discussed in any upcoming meetings. But if this were a topic for consideration in the near future, she would be “firmly against” it.
Her email went on to say the following: “It is my position that all public school campuses exist to create SAFE learning spaces for ALL CHILDREN no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic position, citizenship status, etc. ANY MOVE THAT THREATENS THAT SAFETY, INCLUDING ACTION TAKEN TO INTENTIONALLY DISPLACE STUDENTS AND/OR THEIR FAMILIES, HAS ABSOLUTELY NO PLACE IN OUR TEXAS SCHOOLS. We MUST STOP politicizing education!”