The Dream Act – Allowing Young Immigrants to Continue their Education
The Dream Act – Allowing Young Immigrants to Continue their Education
July 10, 2010
As noted in a recent New York Times Article, The Obama administration is apparently allowing students that are illegally in America to continue their studies and remain in the USA despite having knowledge of their condition as illegal aliens. While the Obama administration has been more effective than the previous administration in removing illegal aliens with criminal records, the government is apparently turning a blind eye to illegal promising young students.*
As the United States increasingly loses ground to foreign countries in terms of the number of college graduates per capita, the decision is not only compassionate, with most of these students having been here for a large portion of their lives, but may also be beneficial to the United States’ economy.*
Yet, after almost a decade of attempts, the DREAM Act (The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act), which text was first sponsored as the H.R.1918 – Student Adjustment Act of 2001, continues to fail to obtain the necessary votes to become a law, despite the support of both Republican (43rd President – George W. Bush) and Democratic (44th President – Barack Obama) administrations.
The bill was introduced in the Senate during the 108th Congress – S.1545 (2002-2003), 109th Congress – S. 2075(2005 – 2006), and twice during the 110th Congress (2007 – 2008) – S.774, S.2205, as well as three times in the House during the 108th, 109th, 110th Congress respectively. Unfortunately, the bill has continuously failed to garner enough votes.
If enacted, the bill would allow immigrants who came to the United States before they were 16 and either graduated from high school or obtained their GED to be placed on a path to citizenship after serving in the armed forces for two years or completing two years of study within a four year degree program. Yet, under the current political climate and economic recession, the text of the bill will likely not be enacted until border security increases and illegal immigration rates are curbed.
Despite these odds, hopefully the bill will find support during the next congress session. These immigrants, many of whom did not themselves make the decision to enter the United States illegally, should not be punished for the mistakes of their parents.
Should America not show compassion to this group of highly motivated young immigrants, many of whom feel a strong allegiance to this country? As it is written on “The New Colossus” plaque inside the Statue of Liberty, isn’t America the land of liberty that welcomes the immigrant to the New World? A country founded by immigrants from many different countries should have in place a fair and comprehensive immigration system.
* Students Spared Amid an Increase in Deportations (August 8, 2010)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/09/us/09students.html?th&emc=th.
* USA now 12th in number of graduates (August 7, 2010):
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/opinion/07herbert.html?emc=tnt&tntemail1=y
EXCO – Twin Cities Experimental College (Small Blurb)
EXCO – Twin Cities Experimental College (Free Education)
July, 7, 2010
On the subject of free continuing education, having just moved to Minneapolis, I recently visited a couple of classes run by EXCO, the Experimental College of the Twin Cities (http://excotc.org). While there is a limited selection of classes, it is another available option for those seeking to continue their education and learn something new or simply relax in one of its Yoga or Meditations classes. If you have not visited EXCO, I suggest you visit it and see if there is a class that fits your schedule and your liking.
“To Sir with Love” – By Sydney Poitier
“To Sir with Love” – By Sydney Poitier
July, 4, 2010
This classic 1972 movie touches certain topics traditionally present in the educational industry and first year teachers. The movie focuses on a black man born in British Guyana and his difficulties during his first year of teaching. Coming to work at a school after failing to find work as an engineer for 18 months, “Sir” decides to teach at risk children at a London school. At first the job proves trying as children attempts to find ways to make him lose temper. “Sir” attempt at first to teach them to harsh discipline, but the children prove hard to reach. By slamming the door, talking to their classmates, rocking back and forth their desks, purposely reading poorly, the students make him lose it one day in which he yells at the children and momentarily dismisses half of the classroom.
Later that day, he realizes that unlike any other of the jobs he has held before, (which included from cleaning latrines to waiter to working for an oil company) this is the first time he has truly lost his cool on the job. It is then however when he feels unable to reach them that he decides that he needs to treat this young adults as such, instead of treating them as children, he will treat them as individuals who will soon be part of the productive sector of society.
By telling them that they most treat each other properly and address each other formally with Sir and Miss, the children start to turn and begin to act respectfully in his classroom. As in a more recent movie Coach Carter, To Sir with Love highlights how by treating other properly and not as children but as responsible individuals, with this increased expectation the students begin to act accordingly and he quickly turn about the class, despite a couple of events (by a still rebellious niche of students), into a generally productive and respectful environment.
While this is not possible for all subjects and teachers, he transforms his literature class into a humanities classroom where students can ask questions about any topic and discuss them orderly in a forum. The students talk about rebellion, sex, jobs, and even discuss race.
As black actors in the 1960s and 1970s, various of Poitier films include mentions or discussion of race relations. This movie is not an exception. At the end of the school year, the students discuss with him that “people” would gossip if they went into a colored person home and that they would not hand the flowers to the black man at the funeral. “Sir” was very hurt by this reminder of the continuous racial tension in society but he was comforted by a student (a white girl) who decided she would hand the flowers. Fortunately, in the end of the movie, the whole class was there as well with flowers.
The movie is well produced and it touches on the influence a teacher can have in students when a teacher sets high expectations, but act respectfully towards the students who then act respectfully towards one another and they look up towards the instructor. The mutual respect grows into the students changing various negative deviant and disrespectful behaviors but not because of fear but rather by reason and evaluating their actions. This same respect also led to the growth of both the teacher and the students.
One of his most successful teaching days was a visit to a museum, where the children interacted with ancient sculptures and paintings. Before taking other after the PE teacher resigned, he tried to take the children in a field trip on a weekly basis.
I greatly recommend this film to anyone interested in teaching as a practitioner or administrator. This films shows the difficulties in finding ways of reaching children as well as the problems in the industry which include a high turnover rate. Despite his success as a teacher and being beloved by the children and the community, “Sir” decides to leave teaching for the trade he studied at college, an engineering job.
Hope you also enjoy the movie,
Alfonso Sintjago
Filming Videos – Office for Public Engagement
Filming Videos – Office for Public Engagement
June, 22, 2010
1) Why is public and community engagement important to their work?
2) Give a specific example of community-engaged research, teaching, or service activity that was transformational and/or really made a different for anyone or all involved.
3) What is public engagement and how it is different from outreach/public service? Address the question: What does public engagement mean to me.
4) How does public engagement impact (a) students, (b) faculty, (c) staff; (d) the community, (e) departments or colleges or other University units, (f) the state of Minnesota, nation, or world. Give a specific example.
5) How does public engagement help build a stronger University?
6) What needs to change/be enhanced about public engagement at the U of M?
