Thread: DISD issues warning on walkouts

DISD issues warning on walkouts

10:30 PM CDT on Monday, March 26, 2007

By DIANNE SOLÍS / The Dallas Morning News

The Dallas Independent School District is placing students and their parents on notice: Students who walk out of classes to commemorate last year's march will be punished.

Tuesday is the first anniversary of three days of walkouts from Dallas-area high schools over federal immigration policies. District officials say they worry about a sequel this week.

Last year, some 10,000 students left classes in protest, heading to Kiest Park and then Dallas City Hall. On the second day of walkouts, some students even stormed into City Hall, trying to reach receptive ears in City Council chambers.

"We want students to know that we have a code of conduct and there will be disciplinary processes" if there are walkouts, said DISD Assistant Superintendent Jose Luis Torres. "We are going to talk to students about using history on how they can impact legislative process."

Disciplinary consequences may include but are not limited to:

• In-school and out-of-school suspension

• Detention

• Restrictions from participation in extracurricular activities and graduation activities

• Community service

"Each day a student misses class is a day of education lost," reads a letter penned by DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa to parents. "Regardless of your stance on immigration issues, your support is needed in ensuring your child understands the importance of being in school."

The letter was sent out Monday night via e-mail to principals, who then printed out copies for students.

In Arlington, Superintendent Mac Bernd sent e-mails to the district's principals Monday but said none had heard rumors of a walkout. He said he doesn't expect there to be a mass walkout like last year when several hundred students left their campuses. Dr. Bernd warned students last year that there would be consequences for those who participated in future walkouts.

"The students were very respectful and polite and returned to class when we asked them to," he said about last year's demonstration.

Schools officials in Dallas said they have heard rumors of possible walkouts this week.

Dr. Torres said the district has been monitoring the social networking site www.myspace.com, but he said students have "more effective" ways of communicating.

Last year, students were activated via bulletins posted on MySpace, through text-messaging from cellular phones and by watching television newscasts of walkouts in Los Angeles days earlier.

About two-thirds of students in DISD are Hispanic, and many of them come from immigrant families.

Last year, an enforcement-only bill by U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., threatened to make instant felons of all illegal immigrants. That proposal – since tabled – led to social protests around the nation. The Dallas protests on April 9 were the largest in Texas history.

Some of the students involved in last year's protests acknowledged that they were in the U.S. illegally in interviews with The Dallas Morning News. They said they wanted passage of proposed federal legislation that would legalize illegal immigrant students who went to college.

The students argued that they are not to blame for being brought to the U.S. illegally as children. The legislation for illegal immigrant students was reintroduced in the latest session of Congress. It is known as the DREAM Act, or the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act.

"We would encourage students to become informed of the DREAM Act and they can participate in community-sponsored rallies and events," Dr. Torres said. "We encourage them to share their views with federal legislators on immigration."

In an interview with The News published Monday, Dr. Hinojosa said he supports passage of the legislation.


Staff writer Jeff Mosier contributed to this report.


http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/w ... 8fa26.html

About two-thirds of students in DISD are Hispanic, and many of them come from immigrant families.

The students argued that they are not to blame for being brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

Another U.S. city whose population has been taken over as a result of the invasion! Let's see, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, Dallas, Miami....and Hazleton.

How many more at 50% and over are there? Somebody needs to publish a full list of cities in the U.S. that have been ethnically transmigrated.

I hope they stick to their guns and punish them. If they retaliate for their punishment or other unacceptable behavior, expel them. Then deport them. Sigh, one can dream, can't they?

Originally Posted by peladac

I hope they stick to their guns and punish them. If they retaliate for their punishment or other unacceptable behavior, expel them. Then deport them. Sigh, one can dream, can't they?

I am sorry for your brother.....
I dont want to imagine losing anyone in my family. We have been blessed thus far.

I am sorry for your brother.....
I dont want to imagine losing anyone in my family. We have been blessed thus far.

Thank you. That is his him in my avatar. He passed away a month later after that picture. I lost my father to that when he was 55. They were both very young. I do have to make a correction though, he just turned 42.

Sorry, it's off topic.

I do have to say though with our Brother ill and leaving us and our Mother terminally ill, we get so angry when we see all the illegal immigrants get everything they need without even a worry. My Brother and Mother have gone through hell and back to get halfway decent care. My Mother needs her medicine to be able to just live! She worked her butt off for years for what? For her to fight for disability, medicare, etc? This is just plain bull****. All those years she worked and gave to social security, ha, from what she gets, I know I will NEVER rely on SS. The illegals will get that.

I know I'm not the only one that feels exactly the same way I do. When you see your own loved ones suffering and fighting to get what they need to live, yet some foreigner that does not belong here gets better medical treatment than them, well, I have a MAJOR bone to pick with them.

I am sick and tired of our tax dollars going toward illegals that could care less about us and break our laws I know all of you are and that is why we are here.

Since I have found this website, it has helped me become more proactive and I want to say thanks!

Originally Posted by peladac

I hope they stick to their guns and punish them. If they retaliate for their punishment or other unacceptable behavior, expel them. Then deport them. Sigh, one can dream, can't they?

I'm so sorry about your brother peladac.

I hope they stick to their guns too! But you know what- these kids are going to do whatever they want- because they don't take kindly to rules or laws. It would be a great opportunity to DEPORT them!

How long will it take for the wonderful folks at the Anti-american Civil Litigators Union to get involved and file suit on behalf of the students?

Originally Posted by JadedBaztard

How long will it take for the wonderful folks at the Anti-american Civil Litigators Union to get involved and file suit on behalf of the students?

As quickly as it takes hundreds of illegals to cross our borders!