Thread: Another one of those programs we get to pay for

Early Head Start Program Overwhelmed With Parents In Need
Phil Anaya-KFOX News Reporter

Posted: 8:16 pm MST December 9, 2010Updated: 8:52 pm MST December 9, 2010
LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Andrea Tellez of El Paso is the proud mother of 22-month-old Jayce. However, raising her son hasn't been easy since Tellez is a student at New Mexico State University.

"Being that I don't have family, I don't have anyone to watch my child," said Tellez.

Tellez said having a child while in school wasn't a part of the original plan.

"I did take a little turn, but it's OK, I'm managing very well," she said.

One big reason Tellez has been able to manage is the free early head start child care service provided by La Clinica De Family.

"I'm able to go to class or go to work, having that piece of mind that I don't have to run back and fourth or not finishing school," said Tellez.

The service provides children with free meals and education while their parents are at school or work.

Director Molly Sanchez said the program is a life-saver for hundreds of families, but not everyone qualifies, only low-income parents, which she says has increased since the recession.

"Especially with parents having to work, losing benefits, having to go back to school," said Sanchez.

To make matters worse, once the state of New Mexico decided to cut child care subsidies in November, parents were left nowhere to turn but federally funded centers like LCDF.

"For the first few weeks, we got calls continuously, we had people stopping by," said Sanchez.

However, even for federally funded centers like LCDF, money is limited and now there's a waiting list of more than 60 children.

"It's very disheartening when you have to turn people away," said Sanchez.

"Once I was in and realized how long the list was I was very fortunate and fortunate I'm still in it for one more year," said Tellez.

Sanchez said her worst fear is that federal lawmakers could eventually cut her funding, but she said it's something she doesn't have control of.

You know elpasoborn if this program is going strictly to U.S. citizens I have no problem with it. There was a time here in California that I had to put my children in a similiar program. I found myself divorced with two children to support. No alimony, no child support. No family to help.

We paid according to our income and this program enabled me to continue working without any other help from the government. No welfare, no food stamps.

Believe me when I say I have paid it back to society over and over.

But alas, it is not just going strictly to U.S.Citizens.

Originally Posted by elpasoborn

But alas, it is not just going strictly to U.S.Citizens.

Here in NYC American children of less than extreme poverty are pushed aside because those who don't speak English at home have the greater need.

My youngest son missed out on attending Brooklyn Tech HS by one question on the entrance exam. I found out later that the score needed to win a spot keeps rising to accommodate certain groups. I was told to my face that there are seats set aside for kids that just miss acceptance.

Including kids who have lived in the USA for two years or less. (Top Priority)

Then for kids who speak English as a second language. (Second priority)

Then for kids economically disadvantaged. (final priority)

It was then I was told all of the set aside seats are usually taken by the first two PRIORITIZED groups!

When I asked if they at least checked immigration status the guidance counselor told me that isn't ever considered.

IAs gotta love America.

Now with the Dream Act they want to extend such BS to our college acceptance programs.

Ratbstard it is as if there is an all out agenda to push American kids to the back of the line. When are parents going to have enough and literally start fighting for their kids.

We heard our Congressmen say last night that Dreamers are the brightest and best. We need them to compete in the World. They are stacking the deck against American kids. How many of the Dreamers have gotten priority over American kids? How do American kids compete when their rights are taken away and given to illegal aliens?

I sent a letter to Governor Perry yesterday expressing my outrage at the fact that our 24 year old son was declined entrance to the Army and the Air Force because of the fact that they would not accept his GED unless he also had 15 college credits. How is that an illegal can enlist but yet my American born son cannot?
I'm not even sure whether it's legal for illegals to enlist. Some places I've read that they can't but then I've seen and heard of illegals who have. It's my impression that illegals have ALWAYS been able to enlist.

When our middle son was pre kinder age we tried to enroll him in the head start program and were shocked and disgusted when the school people sneered and said that he could not enroll because it was strictly for kids who either did not speak English or fell below the poverty line. We asked if we could pay for him to attend and they said NO.
What I'd like to know is what the hell non-English speaking and being poor have in common? Here in El Paso the head start program is solely devoted to Spanish speakers. If kids of any other ethnicity (German, Asian, etc) don't speak English, THEY are not put into head start OR bilingual classes, they are mainstreamed into the regular classes because they do not speak Spanish and the fact that they might meet the financial guidelines apparently doesn't mean anything.

Absolutely nothing wrong with these programs, but the problem with ALL public schooling right now is every illegal and their brother attends.

Here in CA LULAC last week met with State Education Board to push for a bill for the Advancement of the majority Latino Youth. How do they want to fund it - by raising property tax on the Senior Citizens of CA.

O.k. this woman is going to school. She says she has no family. So how is she paying rent, buying food etc. Could it possibly be welfare? Who is paying for her schooling?

pattyk, I presumed from the way things were stated, that this young woman is an American citizen. If she is going to school full-time to better herself, she can get Pell Grants, other grants and also financial aid (loans she will have to pay back), and it is enough to scrape by one for a single parent.

I know this as before my daughter was married, she did this in order to go to school, when her son was little.

As for the program, it is one needed for people going to school and for parents who do not make enough to pay full daycare costs. However, I do know that Head Start does have illegals kids in their program, and of course those kids are born in this nation, so our government, who funds Head Start, does not see them as anything but citizens.

Frustrating part, I have seen the bus, in the complex where we used to live, come in, pick up the little kids, and the illegal mothers would go back inside and watch TV for the day, they were not working, nor needed the child care, while young mothers my daughter knew, were turned down for needed workday child care because there was no room on the list....