Randy Dorn is a top school official who decided that it was appropriate to ask a student about his legal status while visiting Raisbeck Aviation High school, according to the Seattle Times. The aviation school attracts thousands of students from across the country.
When Dorn, the Superintendent of Schools, inquired about their academic efforts, one student, Julian Medina-Schroeder, had to awkwardly respond to his question about his immigration status after saying his academic career started in Mexico.
Medina-Schroeder answered with:
“I’m legal, I’m half American.”
A clumsy answer to. Dorn’s already awkward question, which Medina-Schroeder found inappropriate, and many advocates echoed his concerns. In retrospect, Dorn remarks that he would’ve rephrased the question as well, as “how did you get to the school?”
Dorn tried to further backtrack, stating that undocumented elementary, middle, and high school students are able to secure free education, but may face unique challenges if they want to go to college. Dorn also mentioned that many migrant students have families who “kept crossing the border.”
He said simply wondered if Medina-Schroeder was one of those students.
Who Is Randy Dorn?
A resident of Washington state, Randy Dorn was an elementary and middle school teacher before he was elected superintendent of Public Instruction in 2008.
For a person who has worked in the educational system for several years and has been appointed the superintendent of the region, it is surprising that Dorn would ask such an intrusive question.
Is There A Problem Asking Someone About Their Legal Status In the United States?
Outside of it being a social faux pas, asking if someone is “legal” or “illegal” is potentially dehumanizing, and frames Dorn being the norm, and the other being an alien outsider.
It’s simply none of Dorn’s business. It also stereotypes all Latino students as foreigners, when many are actually Americans.
As Mexican immigration becomes one of the perceived issues this election cycle, many Americans have formed nuanced opinions about the topic.
Even though immigration is a viable subject that should be discussed, doing it while frolicking the halls of a local aviation school is not the place for this topic to be had, especially not from a school official.
What you think, do you think it is okay to ask a stranger about their legal status in the United States? Why or why not?
View the entire exchange between Superintendent Dorn and Medina-Schroeder here:
Featured Image A Screenshot Via Komonews Video.
