My passage has been paid...

Would you be willing to separate from your children for days, weeks, months, even years, and maybe a lifetime, if it meant saving their lives?
I know, a haunting question to say the least...

***
"I miss my mom's hugs, Mrs. Stoker."
"There is no doubt you do, Miguel.  How many years has it been since you've seen your mom?"
"Three years."
"Remind me, how did you travel from Guatemala to the U.S.?"
"I walked with my cousin.  I had $200 in my pocket--my family's life savings.  I had to go.  I had been mugged too many times.  The next time I was afraid I would die. I either had to join a gang or be killed. My mom said I had to leave. She didn't want me to die."
"I can't even begin to think how hard that was for you."
"I don't want to tell you what happened to me on my way here."
"You don't have to."

***
I know well over 100 years ago, my family traveled by boat from Ireland, Germany, and some other European countries to the U.S. in search of a safer, better life.  Did all my relatives enter the U.S. legally?  I don't know if they did; I suppose it depended on the years they entered the U.S. whether the  immigration laws were permitting or restricting. 

I also know some family members faced discrimination in Boston because of "Irish need not apply" stereotypes.

Heck in the early 1990's when I was in high school I was questioned by a townie, "How did you survive playing sports in Franklin, MA with a last name like Eldredge? We're all Italian here."  I said my mother's maiden name was Carty and my grandmother had been a Tracy and she dated a man from Franklin who was a Vendetti. The townie replied, "Oh, that's how you survived--your grandmother dated the Italians." 

***

"Each of you, descendent of some passed
On traveler, has been paid for...
Your passages have been paid..."--lines from poet Maya Angelou's "On Pulse of Morning"

So my ancestors "paid my passage" to be a U.S. citizen.  I did nothing except have the fortune to be born here.

***

"All children in the United States are entitled to equal access to a basic public elementary and secondary education regardless of their actual or perceived race, color, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, or the status of their parents/guardians.  School districts that either prohibit or discourage, or maintain policies that have the effect of prohibiting or discouraging, children from enrolling in schools because they or their parents/guardians are not U.S. citizens or are undocumented may be in violation of Federal law." US Department of Justice, US Department of Education

It is the law that I educate all of my students whether they are a legal immigrant, an illegal immigrant, a refugee, a U.S. resident, or a U.S. citizen.  I take my job seriously and I take this law seriously.  Public education is the great equalizer in our country because any one living in the U.S. has the right to a free, public education.  This right is what differentiates us from many countries.  Some countries only educate their children who can afford to pay for their education, who can pass a test, who are boys, who are of a certain religion, etc.  A misrepresented statement, I often hear is how the U.S. is "falling behind other countries" in test scores.  I ask that we look to what countries we are being compared, because often we are comparing all of our students to the Advanced Placement students of another country--so of course then the statistics are going to vary greatly.

Recently, a university researcher from Finland was visiting the high school in which I teach.  She and her colleagues are studying a research methodology called Guided Inquiry Design that a lot of us are incorporating into our curriculum.  The researchers actually want to consider adopting this methodology in their Finland schools--Finland that is rated as a top country in education in the world. At one point I commented to the researcher, it must be so fantastic to work in a country that is rated so high in education.  She said to an extent it was but to remember how small Finland is compared to a country like the U.S.; she said it's difficult to make a comparison.

***
So over my 20 years of teaching, I have educated a lot of students who I know were illegal immigrants.  And I feel compelled to share some of their stories as my students have taught me so much about courage, perseverance, gratitude, and patriotism. 

As I mentioned before, Miguel travelled to the U.S. by walking for days.  He left because he had been mugged and beaten to near death by the local gang in the village in which he lived.  His choice:  either join the gang or be killed.  His mother gave him her family's lifesavings in the hope that her son would reach the U.S. to make a better life for himself--a safer life.

I once taught twins whose family had been here in the U.S. illegally for years.  The twins' parents paid taxes and had made a life for their sons with the hope that their sons would earn their high school diplomas.  Well when the twins were juniors, their parents were deported back to Columbia.  Instead of subjecting their sons to the police corruption, gang violence, and no opportunity for education, the parents gave up their parental rights and "abandoned" their sons to the U.S. foster system.  At first I was horrified at the thought of giving up one's parental rights, but as one seasoned colleague said to me, "Think about how bad it must be in Columbia that you would sacrifice ever seeing your boys again."

A family adopted one of the sons and the other son went into the foster care system.  I stayed in touch with one of the sons who said that although he missed his parents beyond comprehension, he was going to make them proud by earning his diploma and going into the U.S. armed forces--which he did.  Coincidentally, the government issued him citizenship status for joining the military a lot faster than his twin who went on to college.

Another former student of mine when she was only 12 years old traveled from Latin America with a family friend--again walking.  She, too, won't share the trauma she endured on her journey.  I think about my son who is 12.  This year he went away with his class of seventh graders to an outdoor education camp for four nights and five days.  Admittedly, it was the longest five days for me as my son had never been away from us for that long.  I cannot imagine what it must be like as a 12 year old to travel through countries on foot enduring the abuse, the hunger, and the danger to come to the U.S. in search of a safer and better life.  I cannot imagine what it must be like as a parent to send your child on that journey knowing the horrors, but knowing it is better than the life they are living in their home country. 

I have heard all the anti-illegal immigrant slurs, stereotypes, and hate speech.  And I will argue that my students who have travelled here illegally are some of the smartest, most diligent students I have taught.  My students often speak at least two languages--something that my American born students (me included) cannot do.  They positively contribute to society through working jobs in which they are paying taxes, but not benefitting from the returns.  Are their illegal immigrants who commit crimes and make poor choices?  Sure.  And are there U.S. citizens who commit crimes and make poor choices? Absolutely.

***
I also have taught many students who have acquired their citizenship legally--and it is a challenging and expensive process.  They, too, work exceptionally hard.  Sometimes the path to citizenship is "easier" (and I say that with relativity) for some immigrants because of the country from which they are immigrating, the money their family has to afford U.S. universities, and/or the type of job their parents are working.    I share this information to look at how our country discriminates in who is allowed to work hard for their citizenship and how some immigrants no matter how hard they work will not receive their citizenship.

***
Yes, the U.S. is in need of Immigration Reform; and in the meantime, I believe it is not my place to criticize parents who are trying to save their children's lives by sending them to the U.S.  My colleagues and  I will continue to teach all students because we know we want educated, informed, and productive people living in the U.S.  And for those of us living in the U.S. legally--because our ancestors already paid for our passage to becoming U.S. citizens, I encourage us to consider:

--being persistent in demanding fair immigration reform,
--feeling empathy for those of us who are treated unfairly,
--and really pondering to what length we would we go to save our children's lives.