Tough on Illegal immigration...

[Lamplighter]

An article in today's New York Times described Hispanic families
leaving a (small) town in Alabama after a judge upheld the State's "immigration law".

It sounded to me as though there was a terrible panic among the Hispanic families
... leaving everything behind, including homes with paid up mortages, pets, possessions,
out of fear of being separated from their children as the State began enforcement of the law.

It occurred to me I did not know what I would do if I were Hispanic and living in Alabama.

Would I send my children to school ?
Could I trust the school officials and the police ?
Would Children's Services take my children away if they did not have their birth certificate ?

More than 200 Hispanic students absent in Huntsville following immigration law ruling
By Crystal Bonvillian, The Huntsville Times
Published: Saturday, October 01, 2011, 6:50 AM

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama --
More than 200 Hispanic students failed to show up for school in Huntsville Thursday,
the day after a federal judge allowed most of Alabama's new immigration enforcement law to take effect.

Under the new law, school officials must inquire about the birth certificates of new students,
but the new law forbids teachers from sharing the identities of students in the country without documentation.

However, Huntsville school officials began to deliver messages in Spanish this week,
telling students to return, and not to fear police who patrol the halls.
<snip>
Huntsville is not the only city in North Alabama reporting an exodus.
<snip>
Dr. Casey Wardynski, Huntsville's superintendent, said that students already enrolled
in the system should not be afraid to return to school. "We are ready to educate these kids,"
he said. "We are held accountable for them."

If students are already enrolled, he says, they simply need to come to school as usual.
Lopez also asks about new students. Wardynski tells him that school officials, as required by the law,
will ask to see a child's birth certificate.
However, Wardynski reminds viewers that the law seeks only to gather statistical information.

While district administrators are required to keep track of the number of undocumented children in their system,
they are not allowed to violate the students' privacy rights by identifying them.
<snip>
According to the law, the state school board's annual report must also analyze the effects
"upon the standard or quality of education provided to students who are citizens"
by the enrollment of "students who are aliens not lawfully present in the United States."

Even with all these assurances, I could not trust the State of Alabama with my kids, and I think the adults Alabama should feel shame in having such a law.

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

Even with all these assurances, I could not trust the State of Alabama with my kids, and I think the adults Alabama should feel shame in having such a law.

Alabama has no shame. I have family in Huntsville, and I when I visited there, I was stunned by their racist attitude and the segregation that still remains informally in effect.

I wouldn't trust an Alabama school system or, for that matter, any Alabama government entity as far as I could throw it.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by SamIam

I wouldn't trust an Alabama school system or, for that matter, any Alabama government entity as far as I could throw it.

Not to worry, they trust you even less....