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Multilingual and immigrant students report fear, absenteeism; educator asks for clearer protections and resources
Summary
Rochester multilingual director told senators immigrant families are experiencing fear of separation and discrimination that contributes to absenteeism and bullying; witnesses pointed to existing federal and state legal protections and urged clearer local policies and support.
Natalia Benjamin, director of multilingual learning for Rochester Public Schools and 2021 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, told the Senate Education Policy Committee on Feb. 12 that immigrant and multilingual students are experiencing increased fear, harassment and absenteeism tied to immigration enforcement concerns and anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Benjamin said that fear of forced family separation, uncertainty about immigration status and racialized harassment have led some families to withdraw children or to keep them home. She said educators see abusive comments and name-calling — “I will call ICE on you,” “Go back to your country” — directed at students, including many U.S.-born children of immigrants.
Benjamin cited federal and legal protections that require districts to provide access to public education and language services; during testimony she referenced legal precedents and federal statutes governing language access and nondiscrimination and asked that education policy be explicit so schools can protect students’ rights and safety. She recommended clearer, district-level messaging to families that their children’s civil-rights protections and education access will be maintained, and better information about legal resources.
Witnesses and committee members discussed funding and program supports such as the LEAPS Act and ethnic-studies and ELA standards work; Benjamin said those laws and standards demand materials and professional development that many districts cannot fully implement under current funding levels.
Senators requested concrete examples of what districts need from the legislature and the Minnesota Department of Education to protect multilingual learners and to reduce fear-driven absenteeism. Benjamin asked lawmakers to “center the well-being of our students, particularly of those who are underserved” and to sustain prior legislative work that advances language access and culturally responsive instruction.
