Lester — who is skinny and barely 5 feet tall, making him look younger than 15 — is among the boys most inclined to prove himself; he speaks proudly about surviving several days without heat or food. “I know how to take care of myself,” he said one afternoon. “I am strong.” Lauren Markham, the community school program manager, functions as a cross between a social worker, legal advocate and homeroom teacher. Students flock to her tiny office inside the school library each day, asking her for help reading the latest government form they received. Her most important — and most difficult — task this year is finding lawyers for the dozens of students who need representation in immigration court. “Guess what,” Ms. Markham gleefully told a student one recent morning, “I have a very strong lawyer who said she will take your case. But only on the condition that you stay in school. You have to come every day, and she is going to check. If you stop coming, they will not take care of you anymore.” It is part scare tactic and part salesmanship, but it is also true: Children released by the immigration authorities are legally required to enroll in school. -Jennifer Medina
Posted on: Sun, 09 Nov 2014 20:48:41 +0000
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