ACLU Sues Somerset County School For Alleged Discrimination

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against 12 school districts, including one in Somerset County, claiming they unconstitutionally discriminate against immigrants and their children.

The Watchung Hills Regional High School District was the only Somerset County school district sued. The district, along with the 11 others, require state-issued identification such as Social Security numbers as a condition for students to enroll. The ACLU claims this violates the New Jersey Constitution. The organization filed the lawsuit in Union County Superior Court Thursday morning.

“New Jersey’s state Constitution calls for free public education, and that applies to every single child – no exceptions,” said ACLU-NJ staff attorney Elyla Huertas, who filed the lawsuits. “In a state where one in five residents is foreign-born, at a time when our president has made the exclusion of immigrants a key part of his policy agenda, it’s more important than ever for every school district in New Jersey to meet its obligations, both to New Jersey’s families and to the Constitution.”

The ACLU said it sued the 12 districts with the "most restrictive" enrollment policies. It claims several others impose improper requirements that hinder enrollment by immigrant parents.

Watchung Hills Regional School District Superintendent Elizabeth Jewett said they were just sent a copy of the lawsuit from the ACLU so she has not had an opportunity to fully analyze it or discuss it with counsel.

"However, suffice it to say that the Watchung Hills Regional School District does not condition entry into our District based upon a student's or parent’s immigration/visa status or any other discriminatory reason."

The ACLU's New Jersey chapter audited the state's 560 school districts in 2008 and 2014 to identify problematic enrollment requirements.

Read the ACLU's Superior Court complaint here:

(Image via Shutterstock)

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