Thread: AZ-School accused of taking Mexican students

I knew lots of children from Mexico were getting educated in El Paso for free (free for them anyways, not for the taxpayers) but what I don't understand about this article is, first, is this school they mentioned a public school? Who pays for the "scholarships"? How do foreign students qualify for the scholarships, and how the he!! do they qualify for free lunch? Is the free lunch, and breakfast I assume, paid for by the federal gov't, state gov't, local gov't or by people who knowingly and willingly donate money for these "scholarships"? Also, when public charter schools have a van/bus drive to Mexico to pick up Mexican kids and bring them to school here, kids whose parents claimed AZ residency, is the vehicle used to transport them insured? Does the insurance company know they are driving not across state lines on a twice daily basis, but out of and back into the country in the am, and again out of and back into the country in the afternoon? If not, isn't that some type of insurance fraud? Would the insurance company be liable if there was an accident, or (if they aren't aware about the driver leaving the country) would the city be liable, or the charter school? If a child is injured at school, how would the parents be notified? Would the school have an out-of-country phone number, or a local cell phone, or would they have to go to the address listed for the child, and what happens when the parents can't be located, or the address is phony? Would a relative who does NOT have legal custody be asked to pick the kid up if hurt or sick, just because they allowed the parents to use their address to get the kid in school (assuming this was a kid whose parents used a real address, usually a friend or family member, even if the kid was living in Mexico), and if that friend/relative somehow neglected to take care of the kid, and something happened, then what?
The state REALLY needs to start checking addresses of ALL children. Make sure the addresses exist, make sure the parents or legal guardians are supposed to be living at that address (run address through tax assessors website and if parents don't own the property, send a letter to homeowners address for verification that the child does live there).
I know schools get fed $$ for each kid enrolled, but taxpayers still pay, through fed taxes, and property taxes go up.
IMO, no foreign minor children should qualify for any type of scholarship.

One more question -

Why doesn't this AZ charter school need the parent/legal guardian's written and notarized permission to transport their child out of the country? I thought even a parent needed the other parents notarized permission to travel out of the country with a minor? Or is this only if they are travelling by airplane? Or only if the "move" is permanent? This isn't sort of like kidnapping, if the school doesn't have the parent's written permission? Don't they need passports too? Or just a visa?

Let's not forget what is really going on against American Citizens and Students.

There is the grade point average in Senior Year of High School.
If a grade point average is greater for one students doesn't mean the higher grade point is college bound or even taking harder courses. US Citizens have been cheated out of College due to dumbies in an unfair system of grade point averages permitting non college bound students and even undocumented immigrants to have a better grade point average somehow.

All grade point averages are put together in a ranking order. Someone taking a college level courses compared to lower level 12th grade courses; will probably be under so much more pressure to obtain a higher grade; and the grade points can end up being the same. But if the lower level 12th grade courses loaded person can get that little sweet advantage. It does knock that more prepared college bound American child/citizen out by not being in the top 5%, 10% or even 20% of the graduation class ranking. So the America Child/Citizen does not get into preferred college or scholarships for their hard work in High School VOIDED.

LUMPING ALL GRADE POINT AVERAGES TOGETHER IS NOT WISE! and I am about 99.9% sure the public school system are lumping illegal immigrants grades, non-college bound, and the very bright students all together into one combined grade point average group for ranking of the class.

Who is most likely to lose above? and Who definitely has the most to gain?

It is a game with our heads to dumb us down. John Lennon wrote a song about "20 years of schooling" to dumb children down.

For some reason I cannot get the video to work but maybe others can.
~~~

Video Shows Douglas School Accepting Students Residing in Mexico
May 26, 2009

The AZ Department of Education cannot legally go after the Omega Alpha Academy because it is a charter school; school's director says the school fully complies with the law
By KFYI News
See Video of Students from Mexico Attending Omega Alpha Academy

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) – Arizona taxpayers probably have paid at least $300,000 to educate nonresident students from Mexico attending a public charter school in Douglas, the state's schools chief said Thursday.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne and Attorney General Terry Goddard separately called on the Arizona Legislature to close a statutory loophole exempting charter schools from the same student residency requirement that applies to public schools.

"My understanding is that the Legislature intends to correct it,'' Horne said in an interview.

Earlier, in a statement, he said a videotape – posted on the Arizona Department of Education's Web site – shows students who live in Agua Prieta, Mexico, being driven to the Omega Alpha Academy charter school across the border in Douglas, Ariz. There were previous denials from the school, he said.

Horne told The Associated Press he did not know how long students from Mexico have been enrolled in the school, which opened in 2001. He said there are "four or five vans of 10 to 12 kids,'' so at least 50 or so students from Mexico are attending the Alpha Omega Academy, which offers kindergarten through 12th grade classes for more than 500 students.

At funding of $6,000 per student, the state is providing at least $300,000 to educate the Mexican children, Horne said.

Horne's staff questioned school officials in 2008 about allegations that children living in Mexico were enrolled. In his statement, Horne said the school's executive director, Jose Frisby, wrote that students are required to verify their Arizona residency before being enrolled.

But Horne said a staff member videotaped the students and vans in April after further allegations. He said the vans operate on school property or immediately adjacent to it, in full view of school staff.

"It is impossible that school leadership is unaware of this practice,'' Horne said.

A top official at the school said Friday that the school is in compliance with Arizona law in educating only state residents, despite a video suggesting otherwise.

Executive Director Jose Frisby said every student has presented forms demonstrating residency that were approved by the Arizona Department of Education. He said the department and the state Board for Charter Schools both conducted two audits that found the academy in full compliance.

http://kfyi.com

http://oneoldvet.com/?p=2157

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-4247--0-0.html

I wouldn't have a problem with this if the schools would charge a tuition and the parents provided documents that the students are non-U.S. citiznes and have applied for a student visa, provide proper medical and innoculation records, but to just accept these students at the taxpayer's expense is totally unacceptable and irresponsible of school and government officials at all levels. Especially since the education system is so under funded, at least so they say....

Again, the fleecing of the taxpayers continues....

Another day to make a difference, please join in!


http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-903211.html#903211

I'll bet some if not most of these kids were born on the American side of the border. Every pregnant Mexican that goes into labor near the border probably tries to get to the American side asap.

The 14th Amendment needs to be fixed.

I saw the guy that runs the school interviewed on local TV and he denied any students were illegal aliens. He had two things to say to back up his claims. First the vans they showed dropping off kids at the school that had been followed from the border, he said "there's no way to prove those are our vans." "You also can't tell what day that was taped on." He also said that "Parents" have to show us their "Utility Bills" to prove residency. I have no reason to believe that what they showed me isn't legitimate."

This guy is an idiot. He knows these actions are totally dishonest, but he plays like he's innocent and naive.

Yeh, I'd believe a utility bill when I see it...

When I was a kid we had public schools and parochical schools and only the public schools got public funds. When our public schools are under funded that we are producing more and more idots. Let the people that want to pay for sending their kids to a specialize school pay for it. While I am totally against Illegal aliens I can see why they want to send their kids to a safer area. I don't oppose it if 1. go back home each day and 2. US taxs are not used.