Students Tuition and Discrimination

Students’ Tuition and Discrimination

On June 9, 2015 the Student Immigration Movement (SIM) held a rally in front of City Hall Worcester Massachusetts. About fifty students and their supporters held signs and chanted in a rally for In-State tuition at public higher educational institutions.  At public universities and colleges the tuition for Out of State or Out of Country students is higher than that of students who are residents of Massachusetts and have a social security number.

The students were demanding that students educated in Massachusetts primary or secondary schools or both and who are residents be allowed to attend the Massachusetts public higher educational institutions paying the same tuition as residents with social security numbers.

The change would mostly affect students who came to the United States at young ages under sixteen years old. These students came to the United States with their parents and did not knowingly violate any laws.  These youngsters have been well educated in our public schools and the disparity in tuition is a barrier for them to gain further education to contribute to our society.

SIM has placed a resolution before the City Council of Worcester to support the abolition of Out of State tuition for students educated in public primary and secondary schools and are residents of Massachusetts. There is a legislative bill in front of the State Legislature to accomplish the lower tuition rate for undocumented students. There is also a resolution in front of the Worcester City Council intending to put some pressure on the State legislators to pass the bill. City Councillor Sarai Rivera spoke at the rally and said that she supported the SIM resolution.

Although SIM leaders only and narrowly rallied for the In State tuition rate for the undocumented students, this single issue has other implications.

One of those other implications is why are there more than one tuition rates. There is In-State, Out of State, Over Sixty Years of Age, possible one or two more. Being over sixty years old I am in favor of the no tuition policy for us seniors. I also think that there is no need for the Out of State tuition rate; and this should be eliminated. 

The revenue raised by the difference between the In-State and the Out of State tuitions is unlikely to be significant to the educational institutions. The difference between the In-State and the Out of State tuition is always significant to a low or middle income family.

Another issue is that most of the undocumented students are Latino, Black or Asian. The is a racial factor in the Out of State tuition.

Abolishing Out of State tuition for everyone would be a way to eliminate this neutral on its face but disparate impact issue of higher tuition for undocumented students. It would be equitable and give the legislators some cover from the anti immigrant racists in right wing groups such as the Tea Party.

The City Council of Worcester will vote on the tuition resolution on June 16, 2015. Will we see political courage on this issue?