Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

ACLU fights for fairness in Indiana U. scholarships
By Alexa Lopez
Indiana Daily Student (Indiana U.)
01/26/2007

(U-WIRE) BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Hopes are high for Indiana University students who are natural-born U.S. citizens but whose parents are not, thanks to one proposed settlement made between the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and the 21st Century Scholars program concerning state scholarships.

The settlement plan has been made because of an incident involving a high school senior who applied for the 21st Century Scholars Program — for which any student from a low- or middle-class income family with a 2.0 GPA and good citizenship record is eligible — but was denied a state scholarship because his parents lacked Social Security numbers. The student's parents were not U.S. residents.

Jared Sloane, the former executive director of the IU Civil Liberties Union, said he believes the issue comes down to a U.S. citizen's rights being denied. He said he feels positive that the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana will push legal action.

"It's a proxy issue for illegal immigration," Sloane said. "This is an issue about the students, not the parents. Sometimes to change rules, you have to change the law."

Based on the application, students as old as 20 can apply for the scholarship if they have never received aid before, whether or not their parents are U.S. citizens.

"I am on a state scholarship this year, but I didn't apply," said freshman Ben Delgado. "It's a good thing because it is about the students, but people can abuse these advantages."

Delgado, whose parents are from Mexico, is a U.S. citizen and receives state scholarship money.

IU political science professor Russell Hanson said the rule may violate the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

"The students themselves are under the law and they are entitled to equal protection under the law," Hanson said. "If it was the parents, it would be a different issue. (One) must take action against the parents that are illegally here."

Hanson said the issue with the scholarships is also based on a need for "education improvement."

"In Indiana, there is a need for education improvement, upgraded skills in the work force, and this requires greater investment, even in those that are legally here but whose parents are not."

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