Thread: MD schools giving extra credit for attending protests

https://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-105760.html#105760

By Keyonna Summers
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published April 10, 2006

Montgomery County public school officials are awarding community-service credits to students who participate today in a pro-immigration rally on the Mall, angering some residents, who say the school system is supporting illegal activity.
"Under no circumstances should [student service-learning] hours be used to promote activities such as going to a protest for illegal aliens," said Brad Botwin, president of the Richard Montgomery High School Athletic Booster Club in Rockville. "To volunteer to teach people English or help with food services [is OK] but to aid and abet illegal aliens and to have students go downtown and get credit for this is mind-boggling."
Immigrant advocacy group CASA of Maryland is helping organize rallies in more than 65 cities to persuade Congress to pass legislation that will help provide citizenship to illegal aliens in the United States, instead of requiring them to be deported.
The group last week asked school officials to provide buses and grant credit to students who participated in the rally. Officials said they denied the request for buses because expenditure tax laws forbid it.
The Maryland State Board of Education in 1992 began requiring students to earn 60 community-service hours to graduate from high school. Counties are allowed to decide what constitutes appropriate service. Montgomery County grants credit for service in three areas, including in advocacy.
Brian Edwards, a spokes-man for the county public schools, said students may earn one credit an hour doing a preapproved activity under the supervision of a nonprofit group, pending completion of a written assignment. The activity must take place off-campus and outside school hours. Students are on spring break, so they would not be participating in the rally during school hours, he said. The school system is not taking a side in the debate, Mr. Edwards added.
The school system approves which nonprofit organizations are eligible to provide community-service options, but does not decide which activities may be offered or "encourage one type of activity over another," Mr. Edwards said.
Students have participated in other protests, including the March for Life and gun rights rallies, and volunteered on Republican and Democratic political campaigns, he said.
"There is legitimate debate going on in the U.S. Congress on this issue," Mr. Edwards said. "The state sets the guidelines, and advocacy is allowed under the state guidelines."
Congress has been working on a compromise immigration legislation and will resume negotiations when lawmakers return from a two-week recess.
Mr. Edwards also said the students, and everyone else living in the United States, have the right to freedom of assembly.
"It is a legal protest. As long as it's a legal event, then it can be approved," he said.
Students who have walked out of schools this month in protest are not eligible for community-service credits, he said. Sixty percent of Montgomery County students are minorities.

If you have a problem, complaint, information or suggestion to bring to the attention of the Board of Education and school officials, or if you need information about general school system procedures or policies, you may contact the Ombudsman/Staff Assistant to the Board of Education by phone at (301) 279-3301, by e-mail <Roland_Ikheloa@mcpsmd.org>, or mail at 850 Hungerford Drive, Room 123, Rockville, Maryland 20850. This office may also be reached through the TDD at (301) 279-3323. The Board of Education may be reached via e-mail at boe@fc.mcps.k12.md.us.

MCPS Call Center/Centro Telefónico
One-stop phone help in English and Español.
301-309-MCPS (or 6277)
Monday-Friday (lunes a viernes), 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

MCPS Call Center/Centro Telefónico
One-stop phone help in English and Español.
301-309-MCPS (or 6277)
Monday-Friday (lunes a viernes), 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Find a Number
Frequently Called Phone Numbers
Directory of Schools and Offices includes keyword search so you can find the office or department that provides the service or support that satisfies your need.
Staff Directory is a list of all MCPS staff and their phone numbers. You can search by name, position, office and browse by name or position.

Superintendent of Schools 301-279-3381
Board of Education Members Office 301-279-3617
Community Superintendents 301-315-7377
Deputy Superintendent of Schools 301-279-3127

Foreign Language Assistance
Spanish, Centro Telefónico: 301-309-MCPS (or 6277)
Spanish Hotline: 301-230-3073
ESOL Parent Center: 301-230-0674

Language Lines
Leave a message and a staff member will return your call.
Cambodian Language Line 301-230-5427
Chinese Language Line 301-230-5428
French Language Line 301-230-5429
Korean Language Line 301-230-5430
Vietnamese Language Line 301-230-5432

WHere are the Child Advoccacy groups inthis? Exactly where is the Guywho is allowing this getting his credentials? I believethe parents of all kids should make sure their kids are in schooland they are safe from the potential harm of unsupervised acrivity. The President should speak up on making sure there are no kids left behind at the rallies.

The right to assembly refers to adults...not the innocent kids. This is pure exploitation of this criminal conspiracy group of Foreign NAtionals out to take our government and our money in welfare programs they will be entitled to as low income wage earners if we let them have citizenship. Give them all an automatic F and FIRE THAT HEAD of the the school...