OKLAHOMA CITY — A new proposed regulation in Oklahoma mandates that parents enrolling their children in public schools submit proof of their child’s U.S. citizenship or legal immigration status. This proposal received unanimous approval from the State Board of Education on Tuesday but still requires validation from the Legislature and the governor.
Key details regarding the proposed regulation include the requirement for parents or guardians to provide specific documents when enrolling their children. Acceptable documents could include a U.S. birth certificate, passport, consular report of birth abroad, permanent residency card, or any other legal documentation proving citizenship. Although the rule would not prohibit students lacking legal status from enrollment or attendance, it obligates districts to document the number of students whose citizenship proof is not submitted and report those figures—while excluding personal identification details—to the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
The motivation behind this rule originated from Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters, who stated that it aims to equip schools with necessary data for staffing and resource allocation. He emphasized that the purpose of tracking the number of students with undocumented parents is purely for accounting. Recent estimates suggest that around 90,000 residents in Oklahoma do not possess legal status, which includes an approximate 6,000 children currently enrolled in local schools according to the Migration Policy Institute.
Public reaction to the proposed regulation has been mixed, leading to significant unrest among various communities. While the State Board of Education deliberated, numerous students and activists protested outside the administration building against the proposal. This initiative has been met with harsh criticism from educators and civil rights organizations and has instilled fear within Oklahoma’s immigrant populations. Democratic Representative Arturo Alonso-Sandoval highlighted the anxiety pervasive among the community, noting parents’ concerns about whether they should withdraw their children from school.
Javier Terrazas, a local construction worker, also expressed his observations of heightened fear among parents during pickup times at schools. He voiced his concern over the visible distress among families, stating, “Everyone is looking over their shoulder. I’ve never seen that.”
In response to concerns following the proposal, Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Jamie Polk assured parents in a communication last month that federal legislation grants every child the right to an education, irrespective of immigration status. She clarified that the district has no intention of collecting data on students’ immigration statuses.
In terms of how Oklahoma intends to utilize the collected information, Walters affirmed his support for enforcing immigration laws championed by the former President, explicitly stating that his department is prepared to collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in schools. He reiterated that if law enforcement requests specific information, the department will comply according to legal requirements.
Walters has actively criticized what he sees as a “woke” ideology permeating public education during his term, pushing for Bible instruction in schools and seeking to ban certain books from libraries.
Current legal parameters surrounding this issue trace back to the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Plyler vs. Doe, which affirmed that all children, regardless of legal residency, have the right to access public education. Although some conservative legislators continue to challenge this principle. Efforts by Alabama in 2011 to mandate immigration status inquiries in schools were eventually halted, following federal appeals court intervention.
Experts on immigration caution that any attempts to undermine the Plyler ruling should be taken seriously, especially in light of recent Supreme Court decisions that have reversed long-standing legal precedents concerning abortion rights and affirmative action in higher education.
