Tennessee Senate Advances Bill to Deny Public Education to Undocumented Students Despite Opposition: 'They Didn't Ask to

Tennessee Senate Advances Bill to Deny Public Education to Undocumented Students Despite Opposition: 'They Didn't Ask to Be Brought Here'

Democratic lawmakers warned that the bill will not only harm vulnerable children but also place heavy administrative burdens on school districts

Pedro Camacho / Published Apr 11 2025, 3:38 PM EDT

Tennessee is moving forward with legislation that would allow public schools to deny enrollment or charge tuition to undocumented students following a 19-13 vote in the state Senate.

The bill instructs public and charter schools to verify the immigration status of incoming students, a move that lawmakers acknowledge could trigger a legal challenge based on c Plyler v. Doe, the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision guaranteeing undocumented children access to free public education.

Opposition to the bill was voiced from both sides of the aisle, most notably by Sen. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin), who argued it unfairly targets children, as The Tennessean points out. Quoting scripture, Haile said: "The child will not share the guilt of the parent... I believe that we are punishing children for the wrongdoing of their parents."

Sen. Ferrell Haile, a senior Republican, also opposed the measure on moral and practical grounds, saying she believed "that we are punishing children for the wrongdoing of their parents." Similarly, Sen. Page Walley, also a Republican and a former head of the state's Department of Children's Services, claimed that "children should not be part of these kind of policy debates" and that "they should not be caught in the crossfire."

More:
https://www.latintimes.com/tennessee-senate-advances-bill-deny-public-education-undocumented-students-despite-opposition-580515