Publication Date

Spring 4-16-2025

Presentation Length

15 minutes

College

College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences

Department

Social Work, Department of

Student Level

Undergraduate

SPARK Category

Research

Faculty Advisor

Jennifer Crowell Thompson

WELL Core Type

Intellectual Wellness

SPARK Session

Social Justice & the 114th TN General Assembly: Policy Impact Presentations I

Presentation Type

Talk/Oral

Summary

This paper examines House Bill 0793 of Tennessee which specifically targets undocumented students and challenges the long-standing Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe. The 1982 ruling established that school districts do not have a rational basis to deny access to public education based on a child’s immigration status. Recent legislative action in Tennessee aims to undermine this decision by proposing legislation that requires the collection of citizenship status information from students, violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. This Act ensures that parents have the right to control access to their children’s educational records and prohibits unnecessary disclosures such as immigration status. Requiring this information could lead to racial profiling, create fear among immigrant families, and discourage enrollment in public schools. Furthermore, Tennessee's passage of the Education Freedom Act of 2025, a statewide school voucher program, allows public funds to be redirected to private schools, while explicitly excluding students based on their immigration status. Sponsors Representative William Lamberth and Senator Bo Watson argue that educating undocumented immigrants creates a financial burden for the Tennessee Department of Education. HB0793 not only threatens the future of public education, but represents a direct challenge to the fundamental rights of undocumented students, worsening racial and socio-economic inequalities. These types of legislation pose a threat to Social Work values, specifically social justice principles and the dignity and worth of individuals.

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