After 23 years as an English as a Second Language educator, I have had the privilege of working with hundreds of talented and motivated immigrant/refugee students and their families. Whether documented or not -- and most were -- all were brought here by parents who wanted nothing more than better lives for their children. Many of these students have received prestigious awards for leadership and service and have gone on to achieve great success at universities throughout the United States.

It is reprehensible that North Carolina community colleges have taken the drastic and backward step of banning undocumented students from seeking degrees ("Colleges shut out illegal aliens," May 14). By removing the opportunity to pursue a contributory and hopeful future, this policy runs the risk of sending them directly to the gangs that we educators work so hard to keep them from joining.

Do not allow these young people to become pawns while the federal government works out a permanent solution to the complicated question of immigration policy.

Renee Alman

Raleigh

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