Morton East students go on to interview new students arrivals.

According to “ed.gov”, all children in the United States are entitled 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..  According to onlinecollege.org, every year around 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school in the U.S.

According to “Insidehighered.com”, At least 5.6 million students from immigrant families attended U.S. colleges and universities in 2021, including 3.7 million students born in the U.S. to immigrant parents and 1.9 million immigrant students, according to an analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the Migration Policy Institute.

But, it hasn’t always been this way.  History shows discrimination.  According to “colorincolorado.org”, educational policies directed at immigrant children during the early 1900s were primarily ones of neglect. Students were submersed in English-only classrooms without any accommodations. Newcomers were often placed in 1st grade classrooms regardless of their age, causing many early dropouts.According to “findlaw.com, since they also charged tuition, poorer children were excluded or received informal schooling at home. That would change during the immigration boom between the 19th and 20th centuries, as education was the best way to assimilate immigrant children.

The Pony Express News recently spent some time talking with some new arrivals at our school.

Since the beginning of the school year, we have had 153 new students enroll. There are 95 students from other districts within and outside of Illinois. The remaining 58 students are from outside the United States.  Here is a breakdown of the 58 students:

• Brazil = 1
• Colombia = 9
• Ecuador = 1
• El Salvador = 1
• Guatemala = 1
• Honduras = 7
• Mexico = 29
• Venezuela = 9

“It’s difficult for me to give a number of enrollments per week because it’s very busy in the early part of the semester, and less busy toward the later part of the semester.  For example, in August, it’s about 25 enrollments per week.  For November, it’s about 5 enrollments per week,” assistant principal Dr. Michael Parrie said.

Pony Express News reporters recently questioned two new arrivals — a sophomore and a senior — about their experiences.  (Here’s the Q and A.)

¿Come se siente estar aquí en América comparado a tu Tierra nacional?

Sophomore:  Me siento feliz ya que estoy con mi mamá, puedo decir que hay mas seguridad aquí y una mejor economía, también está Rmás lindo en cuestion de calles, la limpieza en las calles es notoria, lo unico que noto mucho mejor en México es que allá hay mejor educación que aquí, puedo decir que en México en cuestion academica es mas avanzada.

Senior:  Differente ay muchos que tenia que cambiar cuando me movie aquí.  La comida y personas son diferente para mi fue raro pero me costumbre un poco.

 ¿Es difícil tartar de llevarte Bien con otro estudiantes y maestros? Como es?

Senior: No El tradictor lo cambia Todo para que entendemos todos igual

¿Qué materia vas Bien y cual materia te ase más dificultó aser aquí en el estado?

Senior:Todo muy Bien no ay un materia que me hace difícil un poco complicado pero lo entiendo luego

Junior:Voy mal en gymnacio pero me ase mas difícil las matemáticas

Es fácil cambiar escuelas y ver las cosas diferente y como es?

Sophomore:No es facil por El Camino y hente la idoma

Senior:No estuvi devicil era raro pero muy Bien

Junior:Tuve que dejar a mi familia me sentir muy triste

Sophomore:Sin fespidit a nadir. Me sentir culpable

We also interviewed Ms. Jen Moore, who is currently teaching new arrivals in her EL 1 class.

How does it feel to teach the new arravials?

It feels good to know I’m helping them learn English and navigate in school and feel comfortable

Does it ever get emotional or difficult sometimes?

It does get emotional because of their backgrounds and the hardship of how they came here.  It’s hard in a way — the language part — because they all have different accents, but overall it is a fun class.