California pressed to stop collecting students’ citizenship data

Immigrant and children’s rights advocates are asking public schools across the state to stop collecting sensitive information on newly enrolled students. They argue that by asking parents for social security numbers and immigration status, schools are putting undocumented students and their families at risk of deportation.

While public schools have a long history of collecting this information on their students, many believe that the current federal administration’s commitment to deport several million undocumented immigrants calls for a change to the tradition. Most public schools are in agreement.

“We want every child attending our schools to feel welcome, and questions like those just have no place on a registration form for any of our districts.” says Superintendent Carolyn Seaton of Orinda, CA.

Despite the long practice of information collecting in schools, ultimately there is no reason for schools to know a students’ immigration status. By requiring that information advocates fear fewer immigrant families will send their children to school.