NC-Community colleges fight illegal immigrant ban
Community colleges fight illegal immigrant ban
Comments 2 | Recommend 1
Wednesday, Jun 24 2009, 11:25 am
Rebecca Clark
SHELBY - Officials at Cleveland Community College believe all students deserve a chance to further their education. And, like many other North Carolina community colleges, they support reversing a ban restricting illegal immigrants from doing so.
A policy created in May 2008 by the N.C. Attorney General's Office restricts illegal immigrants from admission to all 58 community colleges in the state. According to the Associated Press, some members of the state Board of Community Colleges say they want the ban gone.
Cleveland Community College administrators say their doors are open to all students interested in an education.
"CCC has and continues to believe in an open-door policy for any student wishing to achieve their educational goals," said Margo Greene, public information and marketing coordinator.
Greene said undocumented students who were already enrolled at CCC prior to the ruling are allowed to continue their education.
Previously, CCC spokesperson Shannon Kennedy said there were roughly five illegal immigrant students enrolled at CCC over the span of five years.
Greene said that even one student who is denied an education opportunity is one too many.
At the state board's policy committee meeting last week, board member Stuart Fountain said the colleges shouldn't stand in the way of anyone who wants to attend.
"Without this option, we are creating a second-class citizenry, a group of people who have no option but to go ahead and join a gang," Fountain said.
If the ban is reversed, students would pay out-of-state tuition rates of about $7,000 a year.
A study commissioned by the system showed that South Carolina is the only other state that bans illegal immigrants from community colleges. The study also said taxpayers wouldn't be affected if the students pay out-of-state rates.
Committee members voted to draft a policy to allow admission of undocumented immigrants who graduated from U.S. high schools. It would be at least September before the full board could vote on the policy.
"These young people are here with basically no fault of their own," said board member Joanne Steiner. "I am highly opposed to creating a subculture of people who have no hope."
http://www.shelbystar.com/news/communit ... state.html