NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Tennessee lawmakers continue to discuss whether or not public school districts should be allowed to deny children who are undocumented.
Debate at the statehouse Tuesday morning surrounded HB 793, by Republican House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland). The bill would allow local education agencies (LEAs) to choose whether or not to enroll students who are “unlawfully present” in the U.S.
Republicans supporting the measure say the decision should be left to local agencies, not dictated by the federal government.
“Every district in this state right now primarily asks for three things when the child enrolls in school: a birth certificate, proof of residency, and proof of immunizations,” Lamberth said during a House committee hearing. “Two out of those three, they can actually enforce. The third they cannot. This gives an option to the local districts to require that proof of citizenship, just as they require proof of residency or immunizations.”
Democrats have pushed back against the measure, asking how removing children from school benefits the state. Protestors have been rallying at the state capitol building, including young children holding up signs against the bill. Several even gave testimony to lawmakers, arguing education is a fundamental right, no matter one’s immigration background.
One person opposed to the bill was an English as a second language teacher, who called the bill an “assault on our children’s rights,” saying it would “take away their freedom to learn simply because of who they are or where they were born.”
“To put it in clear terms, this bill is an attack on our values as Tennesseans and on our children,” the woman said. “I have dedicated 29 years, more than half of my life, to teaching children. It never mattered their race, religion, socioeconomic or immigration status.”
The bill moved out of the House K-12 Subcommittee on a 5-3 vote. It now moves onto the full House Education Committee.
The Senate version of the bill narrowly moved out of a Senate committee last week.
