Thread: Schools Illegally Request Proof of Immigration Status

NEW JERSEY
Newark Star Ledger


Schools illegally request proof of students' immigration status
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
BY JOHN MOONEY
Star-Ledger Staff
It was usually a secretary over the phone who said a child would need a Social Security card to register for school. Other districts said outright that proof of a child's immigration status was required to enroll.

But demanding such information is illegal, a clear violation of state and federal rules that prohibit schools from even asking a child's immigration status, officials said.

The findings were released yesterday in a survey by the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which said one in four districts surveyed had made such improper demands.

Follow-up by the ACLU has led a majority of the districts to correct their procedures, the group said in the report.

But a handful had not -- at least not until yesterday.

"If it's there, it shouldn't be," said Michael Roth, superintendent of the Chester schools, where a Social Security card remained listed on its Web site as a registration requirement. "We will remove it."
The ACLU conducted the survey of 224 districts over the winter, saying it was responding to complaints from parents. It also comes at a time when the standing and influence of the nation's rising illegal population remains in full debate.

Either in phone conversations or in documents, 57 districts made specific requirements for either Social Security cards or other corroboration that would indicate immigration status, the ACLU said.

All were contacted again, and 36 responded they would correct their forms and retrain staff to follow the law. But the remaining 21 districts either denied the problem or did not respond, the ACLU reported.
Among those cited by the ACLU as failing to respond adequately were Ridgefield Park, Ridgewood, Irvington, High Bridge, Holland Township and Mount Olive. ACLU officials said even the threat of such requirements can have a chilling effect on families already living in the shadows in this country.

"The fact that one quarter of schools in our survey illegally require such information is particularly disconcerting given that the law is so clear," said Ed Barocas, the ACLU legal director in New Jersey.

Among those not responding to the ACLU follow-up was Long Hill. The superintendent of the district in Morris County yesterday agreed the requirements should never have been included on enrollment forms.
"No child has ever been denied an education in our town, for any reason," said Superintendent Arthur DiBenedetto, a self-professed ACLU member. "I have told them to take it off the forms."
DiBenedetto said he hadn't found the time to respond formally and then added: "Tell the ACLU there are a lot more important things to be dealing with."

State officials yesterday were emphatic about districts' responsibilities.
"The law is very clear," said Jon Zlock, a spokesman for the state Department of Education. "It is something we take very seriously. When and if we find that a child may have been excluded, we look into it and pursue it aggressively."

The ACLU wants the state to do more and sent a letter yesterday demanding it issue a formal directive to districts and follow up with monitoring for compliance. Currently, state officials said, districts are regularly reminded of the registration rules and required to include them in staff training.

More illegal children registering. More tax dollars! In New Jersey we have the highest property taxes in the nation! More than half of those taxes goes to fund our local districts!

This burns me up as a taxpayer! We are sinking in taxes and why do I have to pay for a illegal alien children?!!

November is Coming!!!

DiBenedetto said he hadn't found the time to respond formally and then added: "Tell the ACLU there are a lot more important things to be dealing with."

Originally Posted by opinion

DiBenedetto said he hadn't found the time to respond formally and then added: "Tell the ACLU there are a lot more important things to be dealing with."

Yeah, it should be important to deal with the fact that Americans should not have any responsability to educate children from other countries who are here illegally, nor anchor babies, whose parents are breaking our laws.

You, as an American citizen, TRY (just try) to register your child withOUT a SSN, proof of shots, and a handful of other stuff. This is blatant discrimination if you ask me.

The Supreme Court ruled (I think in 1982) that we are required to educate illegal aliens. Personally, I think it was one of the stupidest decisions ever.
A school district can ask for proof of shots and they do require proof of residency. They can not necessarlily ask for a Social Security card.
A school district is not responsible to educate a non resident.

'resident' just means you dont live there. All that is needed for proof of residency is a letter written to your address, a checkbook, a bill... any thing vague like that.

You, as an American citizen, TRY (just try) to register your child withOUT a SSN, proof of shots, and a handful of other stuff. This is blatant discrimination if you ask me.

I live in Maryland. My grandson attended private school for the last eight years. But I had to enroll him in public school this year due to the increase in tuition. The forms I had to fill out asked for his SS#, birth certificate, shot records, my SS#, my driver's license, guardianship papers and two copies of recent bills (phone, utility, cable) to prove that we live in the school district. I'm sure that if the anchor babies were borne in the US, they will have a SS#, birth certificate and I guess shot records, but if they were not borne in the US how do they enroll without this documentation? Also, if the parents are here illegally, what about their SS# and driver's license as I had to provide. I wonder what they would have done if I had left my SS# off the form and told them I didn't have a driver's license? I agree, this is blatant discrimination.

Originally Posted by CC

More illegal children registering. More tax dollars! In New Jersey we have the highest property taxes in the nation! More than half of those taxes goes to fund our local districts!

This burns me up as a taxpayer! We are sinking in taxes and why do I have to pay for a illegal alien children?!!

November is Coming!!!

CC
Remember when Governor Corzine was announcing that he had to rise taxes? He also said that if anyone knew what else to do other than raising taxes to let him know.

Well, governor Corzine should take a walk in many towns in New Jersey which have been invaded by illegal aliens. He should walk on Bergenline avenue Hudson county and see all the illegal women with not one, but 2,3,4, and more "anchor babies" all those illegal women are not working, they are living from welfare, food stamps, wic, and have Medicaid. I personally know one who has 3 children, and gets $370.00 in food stamps, her husband works, they have internet, they just bought a new car, they are going to be making payments of $495.00 a month, she just bought a handbag for $400.00, already have reserved tickets to see Shakira in concert in Atlantic City, and I can go on and on.

Governor Corzine just has to find out what is going in NJ, how many millions of illegals there are in NJ milking off the system, and stop raising taxes.

Did you send him a letter about this CC? I did, I also distribuited some, I hope other people write to him.

Originally Posted by dataman

The Supreme Court ruled (I think in 1982) that we are required to educate illegal aliens. Personally, I think it was one of the stupidest decisions ever.
A school district can ask for proof of shots and they do require proof of residency. They can not necessarlily ask for a Social Security card.
A school district is not responsible to educate a non resident.

The Supreme Court ruled that we are required to educate illegal aliens? Who is we? It should be the government, then the government should print some extra bills for that purpose, and don't take it out of the people who didn't make those children. We have enough with our own, and who help us? If our income is 1 dolar over the poverty line we don't get anything from the government. Every penny we have the government knows about it. These illegals are taking all benefits because the government doesn't even know their real names.