WACO, TEXAS — "When students walk through our doors, we’re interested in how best to help them learn and grow, not their immigration status," said Dr. Susan Kincannon, Waco ISD superintendent.
Gov. Greg Abbott made a comment about wanting to challenge the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that states must provide free education to all children including undocumented immigrants.
"Texas public schools face real challenges, including financial challenges, that deserve careful consideration," said Kincannon.
In-Depth: Abbott wants to challenge SOTUS & put a stop to free education for undocumented children
Waco ISD's superintendent says the school district is not allowed to ask about immigration status, but it does make up a small part of the district.
"Singling out a small group of vulnerable students, however, won’t solve those problems," said Kincannon.
Some Texas school leaders believe the state should put the focus on providing a strong education for students and leave politics out of it.
“It’s telling that it didn’t come from the commissioner of education. It didn’t come from the [Legislative Budget Board],” Hinojosa said to The Dallas Morning News. “It was just a comment that Gov. Abbott made on a radio station that he knew his base would be listening to. So it’s, you know, hard-core urban politics.”
In 2016 estimates by the Pew Hispanic Center, 9.5 million live with unauthorized immigrants in the United States. Most of them are U.S.-born minors and adult children. Around 675,000 unauthorized immigrant children lived in the United States at that time.
This isn’t the first time that I’ve said it, and it probably won’t be the last, but I’m focused on taking care of kids, not politics."
Waco Independent School District as superintendent pushed back on Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas AG office on mask mandates and make it clear she disagrees with Gov. Abbott's comments.
"Regardless of how our students’ families got here, though, they are our neighbors now, and we all benefit when our students receive an education that enables them to contribute to our community," said Kincannon.
