Education for All Campaign Steering Committee Members Celebrate Defeat of Bill Aimed at Stripping Education from Tennessee Kids Based on Their Immigration Status

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28, 2025 

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Education for All Campaign Steering Committee Members Celebrate Defeat of Bill Aimed at Stripping Education from Tennessee Kids Based on Their Immigration Status

WASHINGTON — Steering committee members from the Education for All Campaign issued the following statements celebrating the defeat of extreme legislation that would have deprived students of their constitutional right to a public K-12 education based on their immigration status. 

“In just eight weeks, educators, parents, small business owners, students, and faith leaders from across the political spectrum showed up week after week in districts and at the Tennessee state capitol to deliver a unified message — Tennesseans won’t tolerate attacks on children — and they were forced to listen. What we learned throughout this fight was that any attempt to kick children out of school is deeply unpopular, cruel, and extreme. We’re proud of our communities for standing up for all children no matter where they were born or how they came here. Together, we built a movement, and we’re just getting started. To any other state considering this measure – we’ve laid down the gauntlet. If you come for one child, you will face all of us,” said Lisa Sherman Luna, Executive Director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.  

“Our communities are stronger and our schools safer when every kid feels welcome, regardless of their immigration status. Last week’s victory is a testament to the countless families and advocates in Tennessee who fought ferociously to defend education for all. We are simultaneously drawing strength from this collective victory and recommitting ourselves to the ongoing fight in Tennessee and across the country to ensure all children continue to have the right to learn, ” said Kica Matos, President of the National Immigration Law Center.  

“As an anti-poverty organization, CLASP firmly believes that a basic education is essential to a child’s ability to achieve their full potential, and we are committed to pushing back against any attempt to deny a child this critical right based on their or their parents’ immigration status. We applaud the advocates and community leaders in Tennessee who stood up against harmful legislation to keep their school doors open for all children. We will continue to work with partners around the country to build on this victory and protect education access, which is pivotal not only to children’s success but our country’s collective well-being,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director of Immigration and Immigrant Families at the Center for Law and Social Policy.

“We applaud the resilience of local public education advocates who demanded politicians in Tennessee respect the constitutionally protected right of all students to obtain a public education—regardless of the language they speak or where they were born,” said Beck Pringle, President of the National Education Association. “The fundamental promise of all students to continue to pursue their dreams remains in place due to the relentless activism by these fierce advocates. As a result, welcoming all students who walk through the doors of a public school is still a cherished value.”  

“Last Tuesday marked a profound victory for justice in Tennessee, where the Constitutional right of every child to access free, public K-12 education remains protected regardless of their documentation status. In an era where hateful rhetoric too often drowns out our shared humanity, the diverse coalition of Tennesseans who stood up for these children reminds us that when we put people over politics, our democracy thrives. The extraordinary leadership of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition deserves our deepest gratitude—their tireless organizing and advocacy is nothing short of inspirational. Their work powerfully demonstrates that real power results when the people are heard and represented where decisions are made, including in the legislature. This victory also highlights the significant economic benefits of ensuring that all young people and their families have access to education, as thriving students contribute to a stronger, more prosperous community. It is a clarion call that when communities unite across differences, we can and will protect the rights of all children—in Tennessee and across America—no matter what obstacles we face,” said Amy Loyd, CEO of All4Ed.

“The right to education for all is a fundamental American value. Last week’s victory in Tennessee is a testament to that very principle and could only be won with grit, effective organizing, and strong community resistance. Safe and welcoming schools produce safe and welcoming communities for all who live in them, regardless of citizenship status. At the National Newcomer Network, we stand in solidarity with families and our partner organizations in Tennessee, and we are committed to the fight to keep schools open to all students for years to come,” said Alejandra Vázquez Baur, Co-founder and director of  National Newcomer Network.

“Justice and dignity prevailed in Tennessee last Tuesday. The defeat of this cruel bill reaffirms a simple truth: every child, regardless of where they come from, or what language they speak, deserves the chance to learn, grow, and thrive,” said Evelyn DeJesus, Executive Vice President of American Federation of Teachers.“This victory belongs to the fearless local organizations, advocates, and community members who stood up for our shared values and fought to ensure that our schools remain places of inclusion, not exclusion. Their tireless work reminds us that when we come together, we can protect the future for all our children.”

The Education for All Campaign is led by the All4Ed, American Federation of Teachers, Center for Law and Social Policy, Children at Risk, National Newcomers Network, National Education Association, National Immigration Law Center, Oklahoma Appleseed, and Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. The campaign has more than 78 partners that are leading education, immigrant, and civil rights organizations aiming to ensure all children have access to a free K-12 public education, as mandated by law. Visit www.education4all.us for more information.

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