School accused of taking Mexican students
Comments:28
by Bob McClay
May 21st, 2009 @ 1:24pm

A video proves conclusively that a charter school in Douglas is accepting students who reside across the border in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico, Arizona State Schools Chief Tom Horne said Thursday.

Omega Alpha Academy denied the allegations when it was questioned by the Arizona Department of Education in 2008. It provided documentation that all of its students were Arizona residents.

At that time, the executive director of the school, Jose Frisby, wrote the Education Department that, "Before we enroll any student, we require that the student verify his or her Arizona residency. When a student's family cannot provide any of these records... we obtain a certified statement from the Arizona resident with whom the student resides."

More allegations of undocumented students surfaced in April, and the Education Department sent a staff member to videotape evidence.

Horne said,"Contrary to previous denials, Omega Alpha Academy is accepting dozens of students who do not live in Arizona. Videotaped evidence shows students being transported to and from school in several large passenger vans filled with Omega Alpha students that move directly from the school to the Mexican border in the afternoon and directly from the border to the school each morning. "

The superintendent added, "The scheme is open and blatant. Since these vans operate either on school property or in areas immediately adjacent to the property, in full view of school staff, in order to pick up and drop off students, it is impossible that school leadership is unaware of this practice."

Horne noted that the Attorney General's Office has ruled that charter schools are exempt from state jurisdiction over undocumented students. He urged the Legislature to take action immediately to allow the state to stop making its aid payments for the undocumented students.

"I feel that it's a violation of the intent of the law for money to be spent educating students who are residents of Mexico, which has it's own school system," Horne said.

Attorney General Terry Goddard, whose office gave the opinion that charter schools were not subject to state aid requirements, joined Horne in urging lawmakers to close the loophole.

"The state of Arizona is struggling to make ends meet and no area is feeling the squeeze more than our schools," Goddard said. "Providing Arizona students with a quality education msut be lawmakers' top priority as the state weathers this economic crisis.

"Arizona tax dollars should not be used to educate residents of other states, whether that state is California, Utah or Sonora. Funding the schooling of those who do not live in Arizona is a wasteful expenditure that draws money away from critical investment in Arizona students."

KTAR showed Democratic Rep. Ed Ableser a press release about Horne's concerns. He reacted by saying the loophole is wrong.

"Charter schools are just like state run schools. There's no difference. They should be held by the same accountability. They should be held to the same accountability. And if in statute, our public schools are not allowed to do this, then charter schools shouldn't be allowed to either."

Republican Senate President Bob Burns echoed Ableser's concerns, saying he would be willing to hear such legislation if it's introduced. "I don't think we should have our taxpayers paying for the education of foreign students, especially not going to the border, picking them up and transporting them north."

He said the bill could be heard and passed quickly with an emergency clause.

Ablesar said charter schools are treated differently than public schools in the state. "And that's been the problem all along with charter schools in Arizona is that public schools in Arizona are held to a hire standard and charter schools get a free ride. And this is a perfect example of what we need to fix."

View the video:

• www.ade.az.gov


Click on hot topic labeled: Video: Omega Alpha Academy accepting students from Mexico.

• www.oaadouglas.org




http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1165131