Following the DREAM: Practical Suggestions for Working with Immigrant Students

On October 27 more than 30 educators from across Long Island packed the Christ Church of Oyster Bay to discuss immigrants' rights in the classroom. Teachers, administrators and social workers shared their concerns and suggestions about working with immigrant students. The educators received guidance on how to teach students about immigrants' rights and how to encourage tolerance toward immigrants. The panel - from left to right - Rachel Baskin, Liz Markuci, Samantha Fredrickson and Maria Contreras.
The panel - from left to right - Rachel Baskin, Liz Markuci, Samantha Fredrickson and Maria Contreras. Liz Marcuci and Rachel Baskin from the American Immigration Lawyers Association gave a rundown on basic immigration law and the difficulty of immigrating to the United States. Nassau Chapter Director Samantha Fredrickson addressed the Dignity Act, a new anti-bullying law, and the constitutional rights of immigrants.
NYCLU community organizing intern Erin Mansfield.
NYCLU community organizing intern Erin Mansfield.
Maria Contreras, an immigrants' rights advocate, guided teachers in how to work with immigrant students during the transition from high school to college. The panel took questions from the audience. The NYCLU of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Centro Cultural Hispano de Oyster Bay, Long Island Immigrant Student Association; La Fuerza Unida; Long Island Teachers for Human Rights; Long Island Latino Teachers Association; Long Island Wins and Long Island Jobs with Justice sponsored the event. For more information about teaching civil liberties, please email Nassau@nyclu.org. For inquiries about teaching immigrants' rights in the classroom, please email our community organizer at emansfield@nyclu.org.