VivirLatino

First Immigrant Safe Zone in a New York City Public School

12:14 H | Topics: Education - Immigration - New York City - Youth

Hillcrest High School in Jamaica, Queens, with over 3,500 largely immigrant students, became the first school to create protections and needed services to immigrant students to be able to access education without fear.

This is an important grassroots achievement in light of ICE's recent incursions into school areas in other parts of the country.

Later this week, the official signing of the Immigrant Safe Zone Declaration will take place at Hillcrest High School in Jamaica, Queens.

Wednesday, June 4th at 3:30 PM
PRESS & COMMUNITY SIGNING OF IMMIGRANT SAFE ZONE DECLARATION
Hillcrest High School
160-05 Highland Avenue
Jamaica Estates, New York 11432
[Take the F train to Parsons Blvd. in Queens]

Interestingly enough, some of my Tias and my tio graduated from Hillcrest High School, just blocks from where my abuela currently lives. More information, including background on the grassroots activists responsible after the jump.

BACKGROUND: Since 2005, South Asian immigrant youth leaders of DRUM have been surveying hundreds of immigrant students about the fears and access barriers they face in schools, particularly for undocumented students and their families In 2006, DRUM released a ground-breaking report called "Education not Deportation: Impacts of New York City School Safety Policies on South Asian Immigrant Youth" 51% of youth reported exposure to harassment by authorities Nearly half of youth (45%) reported being asked about their immigration status by authorities Most NYC public schools, which are already underfunded and over-policed, have little to no ability to deal with undocumented students Undocumented students don't get financial aid and most scholarships, so many can never afford college

The Immigrant Safe Zone at Hillcrest High School will:
Ensure city and DOE laws are actually being followed to protect immigration status information of students and their families- that immigration status is not being asked, compiled, or reported at all
Train school workers in the full rights of immigrant students to education and to better serve immigrant youth
Create services for immigrant youth and families within the school in partnership with community organizations- DRUM will begin regular programs for youth and parents at Hillcrest High School this year including immigration and deportation advocacy and Know Your Rights trainings

Related

• Constitutional Protections Not Applied to Ana Romero: Mujer, Madre, Trabajadora, Muerta (Wednesday, Sep 17 2008)
• NYPD Attacked Father Taking His Daughter to School and Now He Faces Charges (Wednesday, Sep 17 2008)