The educational needs of refugee and immigrant students are frequently unmet in the United States and other nations across the globe, a new United Nations report concludes.
"Building Bridges, Not Walls," a report released Tuesday by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization makes the argument that the current immigration policies of the U.S. government create too many barriers for students who are immigrants or refugees. The report calls for policy changes that would make it easier to integrate these children into schools, increase their access to quality education, and ensure immigrant and refugee families know that schools are safe spaces.
Citing widespread fear and absenteeism in places such as Las Cruces, N.M., and Hamblen County, Tenn., after immigration raids, the report argued that the threat of deportation is a major barrier to immigrant education in the U.S.
Federal law prohibits schools and districts from adopting enrollment policies that deny or discourage children from enrolling because of immigration status, but the issue is affecting children and families across the country.
To continue reading this article by Corey Mitchell, go to: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek..._face_obstacles.html
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