At some point this weekend the president's words about DACA, and all the accompanying news coverage flashed across a screen. I'm not sure how I reacted- I think I swore, I might have screamed, I might have cried. Whatever my response, it was enough to bring Sage the Cat flying to engulf me in a furry kitten-bear hug.
There are students all over this country who were already living in limbo whose lives have become infinitely more precarious. Human beings who are being used as pawns in political posturing. I teach 120 students at the most diverse campus in the Minnesota State Colleges & Universities (MNSCU) system, the most affordable public university system in the state. It's not a question of if my students are affected, it's a question of which of my students are affected. These kids- who are bright, excited, terrified, stressed out, disorganized, full of hopes for the future- how am I supposed to teach them when they're worried about being deported?
Thankfully, the Minnesota Dream Act (aka Minnesota Prosperity Act) is still intact, and will not be affected by changes in federal policy. I'm a big believer in Ring Theory (Comfort in, dump out) , and it's not my place to do a whole lot of complaining here. I *will* write my representatives, I will tweet about DACA, I will do everything I can to spread information about the rights of DACA recipients. I will also show up to class this week, and every week, attempting to keep things predictable and consistent, offering what stability I can in a crazy world. I will give my best to my students and my colleagues at all times, and hope that somehow, it is enough.
-charis