Thread: This year, a quiet sequel to immigrant tuition controversy

This year, a quiet sequel to immigrant tuition controversy

[quote]BY ART HOVEY / Lincoln Journal Star
Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 12:33:47 am CDT

It’s a strange blend of notoriety and anonymity, of bright lights and shadows.

A year ago, Tom Osborne, one of the state’s best-known citizens, endorsed in-state tuition for the college-bound children of undocumented immigrants living in Nebraska.

A year later, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is citing privacy concerns and declining to name the first four students who have quietly enrolled for classes under the new state law that made it happen. Alan Cerveny, dean of admissions at UNL, said six more students who fit the same profile will be among the new faces on the university’s Kearney campus this fall.

“I think everybody was a little uncertain what we would see the first year,â€

Here are the comments that follow the article:

Don Schreiner wrote on May 19, 2007 3:45 am:
" I am sick and tired of this illegal immigrant crap. If I were to break a law, I would be prosecuted to the full extent. Why does UNL give a gift to illegal immigrants? I am a graduate of UNL and I am ashamed. I had to financially struggle to get through and then you give in-state tuition to illegal people. Get Real. I am glad I don't pay Nebraska taxes any more! "

whatever wrote on May 19, 2007 4:20 am:
" So, should we hold a student whose parents live in Iowa accountable for a choice the parents made and charge out of state tuition for that student? "

Joseph P. Sokolovsky wrote on May 19, 2007 4:29 am:
" I was proud to support Dr. Tom Osborne during the governor's race and feel he was right on this issue. Certainly it might have been more popular to require these young people pay $475. per credit hour verses $160.,but essentially you would be refusing them the opportunity of a college education.Could you set accross the desk from a person 18 or 19 years of age, look them straight in the eye and refuse them "the dream" of getting a college degree. I am a first generation born American that earned a college degree in Nebraska, and thankful someone or some law denied me "the dream" of a college education. Again, I am proud to have supported Dr. Tom Osborne, and proud of him for doing the right thing....he is a true leader verses just another politician. "

Julie wrote on May 19, 2007 7:57 am:
" Sonia has been here for four years and does not speak English. Will bi-lingual classes be offered to the next school where she goes. I would think that four years would be enough time to learn the language. "

JBS wrote on May 19, 2007 8:40 am:
" Again, Tom Osborne shows that he has the best interests of the residents of this state at the heart of his decisions. Integrity, character and kindness are just natural to him. Also, to those Senators who supported this legislation, thank you. "

Tom wrote on May 19, 2007 8:42 am:
" The fact that their parents broke the law does not make it right that the tax payers here should foot the bill.Also if the people who make the laws in the US do not respect them why should anyone else. Tom I have worked in many countries and if you do not have your papers in order you get zero no bank account no drivers license and no state funded schooling.The US is a great place but these kind of problems cannot be left unchecked. This country does not have all kinds of money to spend even if you think it is pc. "

LDH wrote on May 19, 2007 8:44 am:
" Well, now everyone really knows what B.S. stands for in Nebraska. Illegals not only violate the law they get somthing a natural born citizen of say, Iowa, is denied---in state tuitionn rates. In an effort to generate sympathy the article also has a young lady who came to this country (illegally) ,but who hopes to succeed as at a major university without,so far, learning the language of the country in which she has resided for the last four years. Are the taxpayers also to be required to furnish an interpreter for her as she attends classes? The only result that should be seen as a result of this article si a visit by ICE to each of the individuals involved. What part of ILLEGAL does the Uiversity and this newspaper not understand? "

It Continues wrote on May 19, 2007 9:00 am:
" The joke continues in this nation. “I have many students every year that ask me, ‘How can I attend college,’â€

[quote]Sonia, now a slender young woman of 20 with flashing brown eyes, recently got her GED, her high school equivalency diploma, through a program taught in Spanish at Lincoln’s Hispanic center, El Centro de las Americas.

With that goal met, she can dream of a college education in business administration or business information technology.

Can she believe in this dream?

“Of course,â€

This story is proof that these people have no desire to become Americans and are only here to mooch off of us.

I thought the people of Nebraska were smarter than that.