The Denver public school is on track to hire as teachers illegal aliens who received a two-year stay of deportation and a work permit under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Critics say the move is unfair to unemployed citizens who are qualified educators.
The Denver NBC affiliate, 9NEWS, reports the school system is actively seeking DACA illegal aliens through the Teach for America program, which seeks to bring “people of different backgrounds and experiences into the classroom to enhance learning.” The illegal aliens working under the program are not licensed teachers. They are given an alternative license to teach from the state as long as they are enrolled in classes to attain their traditional teaching license.
“We look forward to increasing the number of great teachers who are in our classrooms and who are also role models for children who have similar cultural backgrounds and life experiences," Denver schools Superintendent Tom Boasberg said. "In partnership with Teach For America, we believe that strong educators with deferred action status will bring critical insights to the classroom and will contribute to ensuring educational equity for all students."
The pro-enforcement group Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform objects to the school system’s decision. In a statement, the group said:
“It is unlikely that most of the illegal aliens with DACA status are trained, qualified, and certified as educators. Indeed, DACA status requires attainment of only a high school diploma or a GED certificate. Using unqualified individuals as ‘educators’ does a tremendous disservice not only to students of all races and nationalities, but to our entire educational system…There are at least 20 million Americans who either do not have a full-time job or are underemployed. This includes teachers. It is neither fair nor appropriate to hire unqualified foreign nationals to replace qualified and experienced American teachers.”
Read more at 9NEWS.
