OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — The Oklahoma State Department of Education held a public hearing, giving Oklahoman's an opportunity to voice thoughts on proposed rule changes.
Six chapters worth of amendments were discussed. A single OSDE board member was present to listen to a room full of concerns.
Many education advocates were particularly focused on a proposal surrounding the status of a student's citizenship.
This rule would not only require families to provide proof of US citizenship, but also for districts to keep track of how many students could not provide those documents.
DACA recipient and representative of the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice Tasneem Al-Michael warned that this kind of questioning of students could be harmful.
“Education should never be weaponized as a tool for exclusion or fear," said Al-Michael. "Policies like this risk politicizing the classroom and they create an environment where families feel unwelcome enrolling their children in school.”
The proposed rule states that a student's access to critical learning programs statewide would be contingent upon proof of US citizenship.
A section later, the proposal reads, ''Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit, or inhibit, any child from receiving the education they are entitled to...'
“I cannot fathom what the purpose is for this except to keep students out of school," said one former special education teacher. “Section six, you say this is not going to keep students out of school. The fact that you put that in there tells me two things. One, that you already knew it will, that that’s the point and you’re trying to cover your backside by saying oh if we say this, then it’s okay.”
Among the packed board room of Oklahoman's expressing opposition, David Blatt, on behalf of the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.
“The result of a requirement to verify citizenship status of students will be to deny access to public schools on the basis of national origin," said Blatt. "We know that when Alabama passed legislation nearly identical to this rule that required schools to collect and report on student’s national origin, Hispanic enrollment plummeted and absenteeism surged.”
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When these rules were first introduced in December, Tulsa Public Schools leaders issued a statement, reassuring families that this is not how they handle enrollment.
The state board will vote on these rules at their January board meeting.
If approved, the rules will then go before the Oklahoma Legislature for review.
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