ACLU Sues More than a Dozen NJ School Districts

In April, the ACLU of New Jersey sent letters to 136 school districts statewide, warning them to change their discriminatory school registration policies or face litigation. Schools are not permitted to ask for identification or drivers’ licenses of parents to prove immigration status in order to enroll their children but many still do.

This week, the ACLU filed seven lawsuits against districts that demanded parents who enroll their children in school to produce specific forms of ID that require proof of valid immigration status, even though that is against state and federal law.

Immediately, three of them – North Brunswick and Old Bridge, in Middlesex County, and Galloway, in Atlantic – fixed their policies. Soon after, Perth Amboy, also in Middlesex County, as well as Somerdale Park and Gloucester, in Camden County, agreed to change policies. That leaves one active lawsuit: Audubon School District, in Camden County. In addition, 25 other districts still have discriminatory policies, says the ACLU of NJ. Find out if your district is on the list.

Districts that have not changed their discriminatory policies, according to the ACLU report released this week, are listed below.

Atlantic County

Bergen County

Burlington County

Camden County

Cape May County

Cumberland County

Essex County

Gloucester County

Hudson County

Hunterdon County

Mercer County

Middlesex County

Monmouth County

Morris County

Ocean County

Passaic County

Salem County

Somerset County

Sussex County

Union County

Warren County

Some schools need a quick history lesson, says Udi Ofer, Executive Director of the ACLU. In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that all children – regardless of immigration status – have a right to attend their local public school.

“And 32 years later, some school districts still have problems following this principle,” Ofer said.

In New Jersey, parents need two things to enroll a student: proof of a child’s age and proof of in-district residency.

Read about the details of the lawsuits and take a look at the list of schools with discriminatory enrollment policies. If a school district in your county imposes unfair restrictions, feel free to contact members of its board of education, calling for them to provide equal access to public schools for all of the children in your community.

Go here for more info:

https://www.aclu-nj.org/index.php?cID=1017&etname=NJ_update_06-06-14&etjid=1470080