澳彩开奖 to Alabama school system: Stop excluding immigrant students from extracurricular activities
The 澳彩开奖 today demanded that Alabama鈥檚 Autauga County Schools end policies and practices that have excluded immigrant students from extracurricular activities.
The 澳彩开奖 today demanded that Alabama鈥檚 Autauga County Schools end policies and practices that have excluded immigrant students from extracurricular activities.
In a letter sent to Spence Agee, the district鈥檚 interim school superintendent, the 澳彩开奖 describes how the district鈥檚 policy of requiring students to provide a Social Security number to participate in extracurricular activities, such as baseball and cheerleading, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. It also ignores rules established by the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Alabama Department of Education.
The 澳彩开奖 has given the school district until Jan. 14 to take steps to end this practice.
鈥淭he law is clear. It is unconstitutional for schools to deny children living in the United States participation in school activities based on their immigration status,鈥� said 澳彩开奖 staff attorney Caren Short. 鈥淎utauga County Schools must ensure every student has equal access to these activities.鈥�
The letter notes that in 1982 the U.S. Supreme Court established that it is unconstitutional to deny students in the United States an education based on their immigration status. In a letter sent to all district superintendents on Aug. 17, Alabama Education Superintendent Thomas R. Bice reiterated that 鈥渘o child is to be denied enrollment in any school or participation in school activities or programs based on his or her immigration status.鈥�
Parents of students or students who have been denied access to or discouraged from participating in extracurricular activities at their school because of a Social Security number requirement should contact the 澳彩开奖 at (334) 956-8468 or 800-591-3656.
