By: Darryl W

Darryl W
Thu, 19 Apr 2018 11:41:30 +0000

‘Djurakulova came to Ohio with her family from Uzbekistan four years ago. With her permanent resident status, she would be considered an in-state student were she to enroll at Ohio State — her current first-choice for a college — but is grateful for one of the things contributing to the drop in the percentage of students coming from Ohio: the growing international student population.

“I like the community on campus. I like how it’s international,” she said. “All people go there from different places.”‘

It’s outright disrespectful to marginalize some of the poorest counties in the state in favor of wealthy international students. To suggest that Appalachian and inner city students, as well as rural students, don’t bring anything to the table, is an insult to those who’ve tried to improve their lot in life.

To suggest that a different place outside American borders is somehow much more enriching to working with one of the most marginalized people groups in history is beyond me.