A new Oklahoma rule could track how many students have undocumented immigrant parents

[Emile]

Mariano Gonzalez stared directly at the spot where state superintendent of public instruction Ryan Walters would normally be.

Inside the board room where the Oklahoma Department of Education meets, the 25-year-old detailed why he thought Walters and the board should change their minds about a proposed administrative rule that would track the number of undocumented K-12 students whose parents don’t have legal immigration status. Friday was the final day for public comment. The rule would have to be passed by the state Legislature, which has a Republican supermajority. If passed, it would take effect this summer.

Gonzalez, whose parents immigrated to the U.S., said he intended to speak on what he believed were Walters’ intentions with the new proposal — stoking fear and panic.

“He wants to prevent schools from being a welcoming environment for children,” he said. “Instead he wants to exploit them to persecute vulnerable communities.”

Read more at: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/a-new-oklahoma-rule-could-track-how-many-students-have-undocumented-immigrant-parents