Migrant advocates in Massachusetts are calling for an investigation into Saugus’ student admissions policy, which they claim is exclusionary and unconstitutional. Lawyers for Civil Rights and Massachusetts Advocates for Children are demanding that Attorney General Andrea Campbell look into the policy that requires students to be legal residents with actual residence in Saugus, a requirement they argue goes beyond statutory authority and places an undue burden on immigrant and mixed-status families.
The groups sent a letter to Campbell requesting an investigation into the Saugus Public Schools’ enrollment practices, which they believe are discriminatory and anti-immigrant. They argue that the policy, implemented in response to a state of emergency declaration over migrant influx, denies enrollment to children whose families do not complete the town’s census.
Despite calls for a revision, the School Committee has stated that they will maintain the policy as is, emphasizing that it ensures students are residents of Saugus and not surrounding communities. However, advocates are pushing back, stating that at least two cases involving immigrant families have resulted in children being denied enrollment and kept out of school.
Lawyers for Civil Rights and Massachusetts Advocates for Children are urging the Attorney General to intervene and ensure that no child in Massachusetts is denied the right to an education based on exclusionary policies. The groups argue that the policy is illegal and unconstitutional and are requesting a formal investigation to protect the rights of schoolchildren in Saugus and set a precedent for other districts in the state.
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