Plyler v. Doe: Implementation, Challenges, and Implications for the Future

Plyler v. Doe: Implementation, Challenges, and Implications for the Future Image

In 1982,  in Plyler v. Doe, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Texas  law denying school enrollment to undocumented immigrant  school children, thereby ensuring a free K-12 public education for all students regardless of immigration status. Today, some Americans want to overturn Plyler, and some scholars believe that the official opinion overturning Roe v. Wade, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, laid a foundation for an impending Plyler challenge.

The Institute for Immigration Research (IIR) released a new paper, Plyler V. Doe: Implementation, Challenges, and Implications for the Future, by Amanda Warner, PhD student in Sociology. This paper reviews the Plyler decision, focuses on continuing barriers to education faced by undocumented students, and examines the potential impact of overturning Plyler. 

An accompanying Q&A concisely answers the most frequently asked questions about the Plyler decision.

Click here to read the full report

Click here to read the Plyler v Doe Q & A