US Politics Seriously Impact the Way Students Understand and Communicate Identity

Let’s explore three examples of how your vote impacts the learning outcomes of the next generation.

Tuesday November 06 marks another midterm election in the democratic system of the United States, and its impact on the way students will be able to develop their understanding and communication of identity is nothing to ignore. 

Across the country, a number of amendments and propositions have made their way onto the ballot this season, and while each of them may have a unique high level focus, the real-life implications on the way students perceive and express themselves and each other is worth analysis.

Arizona Proposition 308, In-State Tuition for Non-Citizen Residents Measure (2022)

The aim of Proposition 308 is to allow non-citizen students – so long as they are not considered non-resident aliens according to federal law – access to in-state tuition, provided they have met the following criteria:

• The student must have attended school in Arizona for a minimum of two years AND

• The student must have graduated from a public school, private school or homeschool in the state of Arizona

The following are examples of non-resident aliens in accordance with United States Code Title 08, and would therefore be ineligible for in-state tuition under this provision:

• Families of foreign ambassadors

• Families of foreign diplomats

• Families of foreign employees

• Non-citizens with foreign residency and zero intent to abandon such

As referenced on the BallotPedia page concerning this proposition, “Proposition 308 is also designed to repeal provisions of Proposition 300, which voters approved in 2006. Proposition 300 provided that non-citizens could not receive certain state-subsidized services, benefits, or financial aid or in-state tuition rates."

Why do people want to vote yes on this matter?

“K-12 education has long been a place where students become comfortable and successful as they prepare to participate in our local economy and workforce. But for dreamers, high school graduation marks the expiration of those opportunities. Dreamers have faced many challenges throughout their lives. For many of them, Arizona is the only home they know. They live in our neighborhoods, go to our schools and are part of our communities. We need to be offering opportunities to them to succeed and Prop 308 will do just that.

Prop 308 will give Arizona Dreamers the chance to earn a higher education, giving every Arizona student a fair shot and making our state and workforce stronger. Dreamers deserve the same opportunities as all other Arizona students.” — Georgina Monsalvo, Organizing Director, Stand For Children, Phoenix

“Valley Interfaith Project strongly supports Prop 308 which would ensure that all Arizona high school graduates, including Dreamers, will pay in-state tuition at our state colleges and universities.

Approximately 2,000 Dreamers graduate from Arizona high schools each year. These young people and their families are integral to our communities, and they should have the same opportunities as all Arizonans. Their success benefits us all.

Proposition 308 will make post-secondary schooling truly accessible, enabling students to pay their own way through college and prepare them to become self-reliant and contributors to our social fabric and to our economy. We need their talent, energy, and leadership to help shape a dynamic future for the next generation.

It is time to set this matter right and make Arizona a place to realize the American Dream. — Martha Seaman, President of VIP Board, Valley Interfaith Project, Phoenix • Sponsored by Valley Interfaith Project

“Please join me and a bipartisan coalition of supporters in voting YES on Proposition 308. Currently, Dreamers - students who often have only known Arizona as their home - pay thousands more in tuition than their peers. We are proposing a very simple change in the law: anyone who has lived in Arizona for two years and graduated from a local high school will qualify for in-state tuition at Arizona universities.

These students deserve a chance at a college education and to make their full contribution to our state’s economy. Preventing hardworking students from realizing their dream of a college degree doesn’t make sense. Allowing for more students to succeed will benefit all of us. Join me in voting YES.

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego” — Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, City of Phoenix, Phoenix

Each of these statements were published as submitted in the Arizona 2022 General Election Publicity Pamphlet.

Why do people want to vote no on this matter?

“Proposition 308 is an attempt to overturn Prop. 300 No Tax Dollars for illegal aliens for higher ED PASSED BY 73%. AMERICAN CITIZENS have to pay more. Why do criminals deserve a better rate than taxpaying citizens?

• AZ Supreme Court upheld unanimously

o No instate tuition or tax dollars directly or indirectly, no grants, no scholarships for illegal aliens

o No day care,

o No English learning classes

The cost of illegal immigration in AZ is a whopping $2.7B! This does not include crime and the cost to victims of crime. Remember Phoenix is #2 in the World in kidnappings. Murders, maimings, molestations, rapes, jobs taken from Americans, wages suppressed.

To give illegal aliens in-state tuition will cost taxpayers additional hundreds of millions and be in violation of federal law, 8 USC 1324. Are the open border crowd just stupid or do they hate America?

“Let me be clear. Russell Pearce is the most effective legislator on immigration issues in the country.... state or federal! He is the architect of SB 1070—the most effective piece of legislation against illegal immigration ever written and passed.” Team America, Co-Chairs Bay Buchanan, Congressmen Tom Tancredo and Steve King.

Who would believe America/Arizona would get this bad? Illegal aliens marching down our streets demanding stuff, protesting America and our laws.

Over 9,000 people killed in the U.S. each year by illegal aliens:25 each day, 12 by stabbings and shootings and 13 by DUI or other crimes.

1,000,000 gang members in American, most of them illegal aliens.

Wake up America. You want lower taxes? You want smaller class sizes? You want less crime? Protect American jobs? Better wages? THEN ENFORCE OUR LAWS.

Russell Pearce former President Arizona State Senate” — Russell Pearce, Former President of Arizona State Senate, Self, Mesa

“Dear Voter,

I ask you to VOTE NO on 308 for three reasons: Fairness, The Law and Financial Needs

Fairness: US citizens from other states attending Arizona schools must pay the full cost of tuition. Why then, should the undocumented, who have entered America illegally, be given a reduced tuition rate? Yes, undocumented college students are here based on their parent’s choice to bring their families here illegally. It wasn’t the fault of the student, and it sure isn’t your fault or mine. However, allowing undocumented the same in-state tuition benefit offered to legal residents disrespects the immigration process, and that is not fair to the many people who have immigrated to our country the legal way.

The Law: In 1996, Congress passed—and President Bill Clinton signed into law—the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) which, prohibits state colleges and universities from providing in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens “on the basis of residence within the state” unless the same in-state rates are offered to all citizens of the United States. How can we expect anyone to follow immigration law if Arizona keeps giving away the benefits to those who ignore our laws? It’s a slap in the face to people who have immigrated here legally and followed the law.

Financial Needs: According to supporters of Prop 308, the undocumented can’t go to college because they can’t afford it. But they argue, these undocumented students are the “Cream of the Crop, Educated, Determined, etc.”. So why then don’t the undocumented utilize the 100’s of grants offered to undocumented students? If these kids are driven, they should have no problem accessing grants for financial help with tuition.

I urge you to VOTE NO on Prop 308.

Tim Rafferty, Gilbert, AZ” — Timothy Rafferty, Self, Gilbert

“RidersUSA urges you to vote NO on Prop 308.

The way this proposition is written it would allow any illegal alien, at any age, who criminally trespassed into America in violation of U.S. Immigration Law the opportunity and benefit of paying in-state tuition fees for a higher education as long as they proved two years of residency in the State and completed some type of high school.

Why should they pay a subsidized lower tuition rate?

Why should Arizona tax payers contribute to the higher education costs for illegal alien/criminal trespassers as this proposition would allow if passed? They haven’t earned the benefit.

We urge you to vote NO on Prop 308.

Tom Collinson, RidersUSA Chairman of the Board” — Tom Collinson, Chairman of the Board, RIDERSUSA, Phoenix • Sponsored by RIDERSUSA

Each of these statements were published as submitted in the Arizona 2022 General Election Publicity Pamphlet.

How could this item potentially impact students’ understanding and communication of identity if approved through the democratic process?

Increasing accessibility to higher education for Arizona dreamers through Proposition 308 creates an opportunity for students who already identify as members of the community by affiliation the opportunity to develop a stronger sense of pride as an Arizona resident and student.

With very clear criteria for in-state tuition eligibility, students would be able to take advantage of more learning opportunities with a straightforward understanding of the status of their residency. For students who are legally defined as citizen residents of Arizona, it allows them to build stronger and more authentic connections with non-citizen students – many of whom they have already been studying alongside before embarking on their higher education journey in-state. This expands the range of economic opportunities and possibilities within the state of Arizona because it successfully aids awareness, agency and confidence for students whether they are natural citizens or non-citizen residents of the state.

West Virginia Amendment 4, Legislative Approval of the State Board of Education Rules Measure (2022)

Considering the constitutional assertion that "the general supervision of the free schools of the State shall be vested in the West Virginia board of education," and that the board would carry out "such duties as may be prescribed by law," the amendment proposed to the people of Virginia has been to add a caveat to the authority of the board.

The proposed amendment would require the board to submit its rules and policies to the legislature “for review and approval, amendment, or rejection according to a process determined by the legislature by law.” (BallotPedia)

Why do people want to vote yes on this matter?

"The laws and rules under which we have to live in a free society must be crafted ultimately by people who are accountable to the citizens of our state through our elections and our state board [of education] is not." — State Sen. Charles Trump (R-15)

This statement was originally published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

"It's actually making certain for those who elected us that we are overseeing and holding accountable, and that the laws that we do pass do get applied correctly." — State Sen. Patricia Rucker (R-16)

This statement was originally published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

Why do people want to vote no on this matter?

"I mean look at us. I mean, we can't agree on a lot, but when we do agree, sometimes it changes from year to year. What's that going to do to public education in this state?" — State Sen. Mike Romano (D-12)

This statement was originally published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

"To add another layer of politics, I don't think it's good; I don't think that's a good move." — Miller Hall, president of the State Board of Education

This statement was originally published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

How could this item potentially impact students’ understanding and communication of identity if approved through the democratic process?

The proposed amendment to the constitution of West Virginia creates an additional layer of politics in the state education system, and ultimately opens a window of opportunity for unprecedented inconsistencies for the learning journey of its students.

Such inconsistencies as would be invited by the adoption of this amendment could potentially impede the clarity and confidence of individual students as they develop, define and express their ideas and identities. Science has determined that consistency begets momentum. If public school students were subjected to curriculum changes as frequently as the West Virginia legislature was adjusted, it could quickly impede the social and economic development of an entire generation, requiring families to seek alternatives or suffer the consequences.

California Proposition 28, Art and Music K-12 Education Funding Initiative (2022)

According to Ballot Pedia, “A "yes" vote supported this ballot initiative to:

• require an annual source of funding for K-12 public schools for arts and music education equal to, at minimum, 1% of the total state and local revenues that local education agencies receive under Proposition 98;

• distribute a portion of the additional funding based on a local education agency's share of economically disadvantaged students; and

• require schools with 500 or more students to use 80% of the funding for employing teachers and 20% to training and materials.”

Adversely, the same site explains “A "no" vote opposed requiring an annual source of funding for K-12 public schools for arts and music education equal to, at minimum, 1% of the total state and local revenues that local education agencies receive under Proposition 98.”

Why do people want to vote yes on this matter?

"Music education supports all education – it fosters reasoning and skills that are the building block for learning other subjects. This measure is critical not only for education and learning, but also to mental well-being and even the state's economic health. Companies like ours, that moved to California to be at the nexus of entertainment and technology, rely on a skilled workforce to fill the high-quality jobs we create here. If enacted, this initiative will ensure a future job-ready workforce and secure California's position as the global epicenter of music and the arts." — Sir Lucian Grainge, chairman and chief executive officer of the Universal Music Group

This statement was published in Yahoo Finance.

"Only 1 in 5 public schools in California has a dedicated teacher for traditional arts programs like music, dance, theater and art, or newer forms of creative expression like computer graphics, animation, coding, costume design and filmmaking. ... This initiative is timely as our country seeks to create a more just and equitable future for all children. A boost in arts and music education will help ensure the future workforce in media and technology properly reflect the diversity of the children in our public schools." — Austin Beutner, former Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District; and Arne Duncan, former U.S. Secretary of Education and former CEO of Chicago Public Schools

This statement was published in CalMatters.

"This ballot measure will help define the promise of the next generation of storytellers by ensuring all California students get the high-quality arts and music education they deserve. It will especially benefit students from communities of color, who often experience a lack of access and equity in access to arts and music education." — Issa Rae, actress, writer, and producer

This statement was published to Patch.com.

Why do people want to vote no on this matter?

"Prop 28 sounds good on the surface — more funding for arts and music — but the language is fatally flawed to allow diversion of funding from other education programs that are already not meeting the performance goals we’ve set. ... Instead of voting Yes on Prop 28, I’d encourage concerned voters to help us elect better school board members in every school district in the state." — Carl DeMaio, chairman of Reform California

This statement was published to KOGO, a radio news site.

How could this item potentially impact students’ understanding and communication of identity if approved through the democratic process?

It seems as though Proposition 28 would improve the learning experience for public school students participating in the arts and music education programs. This would likely promote a higher sense of inherent value and potential for students, especially those who are very passionate about these areas of education.

Art education amplifies self-expression. It supports interpersonal communication, critical, analytical and integrative thinking, as well as a myriad of other skills and universal core competencies. Making access to higher quality art education a priority can improve confidence in students as they discover their identities and their interests. Additionally, it could foster a greater sense of trust in the education system overall, leading to higher academic achievement and longer journeys of institutional learning.

In Conclusion

Across the United States, there are many issues that deeply impact the potential capacity of students to learn, understand and communicate effectively. The above are just a few of the lot that were on the ballot in local, regional and statewide elections this week. 

Regardless of any individual political agenda, the aim at SEA will always be advocating more awareness, agency, confidence and competency in the next generation of world leaders. That is why we believe it is important to be attentive to the way education is structured in your community, and to understand the implications of that structure for your children, your loved ones and yourself.

The Self Exploration Academy is not affiliated with any political party, nor does it promote any partisan mission, agenda or effort outside the scope of advancing accessibility to holistic higher education that builds awareness, agency, confidence and competency within its students.

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