From Policy to Classroom: The Emotional Impact of Immigration Concerns on UD Students
Gianna Cathlina | Contributing Writer
As police cars pull up to the school, the children sit in fear they might be questioned, or even worse, taken from school. The bright sunny day now turns cold as they wait. They’re here to learn, nothing more, nothing less.
On Jan. 20, the Protecting the American People Against Invasion Executive Order was enacted by the Trump Administration. Since then, children of specifically Hispanic descent are in fear they might be deported. This is affecting school attendance as well as bullying in schools. Most of the time, children don’t have a say in why they live where they do, so it’s a hard reality for them when being told ICE might come into their schools, the place they come to learn and see peers.
Feb. 10, about a month later, UD’s Education Field Office sent an email to education majors acknowledging the executive order President Trump had signed. Through reemphasizing UD’s Marianist values, they were trying to be proactive for any conflicts possibly appearing throughout the semester. After this was brought to attention, finding out more seemed necessary.
The email included a similar policy seen in the Ohio State Bar Association Journal in 2017. There was a plan for non-citizens to be sent back to their home country. It raises the question of whether the second time around is an intimidation tactic rather than something of great impact. When talking to Education Field Office Coordinator—Nathan Henderson, he hadn’t heard of ICE enforcement happening anywhere around schools in the area. But has heard from colleagues in Cincinnati who have noticed a “definite drop in attendance.”
One of the concerns about this act is the safety of students and their mental health. An article from CNN published Feb. 27 brought to light the story of an 11-year-old girl who had taken her own life after children at school started bullying her. She received comments such as: “I’m gonna call ICE on your family. You’re gonna get deported.”
Since this new policy, there have been reports of decreased attendance, which could be linked to something else, but the timing of the drop is suspicious. Children don’t know their immigration status most of the time, especially at a younger age, so they don’t have control over the situation. Dr. Rochonda Nenonene, who works with the Urban Teacher Academy at UD, says she “has seen a decline in attendance even in Dayton public schools.”
Henderson added a comment saying, “Schools don’t really know about who’s illegal or who isn’t, but our whole goal is to educate students.”
Students being properly educated is crucial for their futures. As educators and future educators at UD, our job and goal is to educate, like Henderson stated above. People come to the U.S. for many reasons:
“One of the reasons people immigrate is for more opportunities… people who are disowned in their own countries can come here and be themselves” Nenonene said.
In regard to education students at UD, what will the future look like in the classroom? As of right now, nothing has been reported or changed within education field policies. The main reason the email was sent to UD students was simply to “acknowledge the reality that we were in, since we have over 400 students in the field right now.” Henderson said.
Another reassuring factor for students was from Fellowship Attorney Keith Armstrong from the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania. He said, “Federal and state law prohibits discrimination in education based on a students’ race, gender, ethnicity, or national origin. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that all students have a right to a public education, no matter their immigration status.”
Education is the core of our foundation; and having a good and supportive classroom environment is important for success later in life. As educators, we are here to better the minds of students, nothing more, nothing less. Students have a right to an education and as of right now, things haven’t changed dramatically for anyone. Until further notice, the education program at UD will run the same as it has, helping future teachers discover their full potential in the classroom.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Gianna Cathlina produced this article as part of CMM 330: Media Writing, a course offered through the Department of Communication at the University of Dayton. In this class, students develop writing skills for journalism and public relations across media platforms, emphasizing clarity, accuracy, and effective information gathering. This story, featured in Flyer News, highlights the concerns surrounding the Protecting the American People Against Invasion Executive Order and its impact on students, especially those of Hispanic descent.