NC: First to Give Education, First to Take it Away?

Thanks Graig.

This smack of the machine at work. Somebody leaned on somebody leaned on somebody in order to shift the political heat away from somebody.

I thought Cooper had better judgment than this.

decision come from the AGs office. Shocked. It's disgraceful for NC to take this position. Disgraceful!!!

This must be the same AGs office that used to place liens and take away the homes of indigent people who couldn't pay their UNC hospital bills fast enough ... until the Ansley's called them out and held a bright spot light on that draconian practice.

P.S. Thanks for this post Graig. Tune up the choir!!

"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." - Harry Truman

We accept children into public pre-K programs, public school, and allow them to access to all of the tools and programs that every other child in the US has access to in the public school programs.

Then we tell them they can't go to community college? Even if they're willing to pay?

So I guess those campaign promises of "free community college for every child" that flowed so freely from the lips of Democratic candidates was just so much manipulative, emotionally exploitative regurgitant.

Most of the children who are "undocumented" had no choice about coming here - and could not be sent back to the country of their birth to navigate the system. Many of them don't speak Spanish; their parents do. They didn't have a choice in where they lived when they were little anymore than you or I did. They should not be punished. The federal government needs to get its act together to give them a path to citizenship, and education/public service seems like a much better way than shutting them out of the system and keeping them in a second-class, shadow society.

Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Pointing at Naked Emperors

The are several NC organizations helping to advance immigration reform (ACORN and the Justice Center, among others), but I think El Pueblo is the main dedicated advocate for sensible immigration solutions. Here's the link:

http://www.elpueblo.org/english/index.html

- - - - -

STATEMENT FROM GOV. EASLEY ON ATTORNEY GENERAL’S LETTER REGARDING COMMUNITY COLLEGES
“The federal law is not settled in this area and I am requesting the Attorney General seek clarification from Washington regarding eligibility of admission to community colleges.  The legislature specifically provided the Community College board the authority to establish admission criteria.  In the absence of federal action to the contrary, the Community College board should continue its current policy, which is consistent with other states.  The Attorney General’s advisory letter acknowledges the federal government has not prohibited this policy under 8USCS sec.1621.”

Cooper -- well he's going to be running again all right.

which originated at the December PDNC meeting:

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS
WHEREAS, the North Carolina Democratic Party’s platform affirms our commitment to “…full and equal protection of the lives, liberties, rights, and properties of all citizens and residents of North Carolina and to striving for educational excellence for all persons - regardless of their race, age, gender, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, economic status, developmental disability, primary language, location, or station in life; “ and
WHEREAS, the failure of Congress to pass meaningful immigration reform has left tens of thousands of undocumented North Carolinian school children in legal limbo without the possibility to further their education beyond high school and, therefore, significantly reducing their opportunities to contribute to the fullness of their potential to the communities they call home; and
WHEREAS, immigrant students who came here as young children were educated in our school system; were steeped in our culture and values and consider themselves Americans; will most likely never return to their countries of origin, either voluntarily or involuntarily; and will be an important part of North Carolina’s communities and workforce for decades to come; and
WHEREAS, for North Carolina to remain competitive in a globalized economy it must nurture a knowledge-based workforce that has access to the education and training necessary to adapt to a constantly changing world economy;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the ____ precinct of the ______County Democratic Party hereby fully supports the NC Community College System’s Admission Policy for undocumented immigrants that gives deserving young immigrant students the same opportunities to go to college as their American classmates; and
IN ADDITION, the ____ precinct of the ______County Democratic Party urges the NC Community College System and the University of NC System as well as North Carolina legislators to make in-state tuition available to immigrant students who have graduated from our high schools and fulfill North Carolina residence requirements since they are clearly an asset to our communities.

It will go on to our District Convention.

Progressive Democrats of North Carolina

Thank heavens for someone with sense within the Bush administration.
From the N&O.

No federal law prohibits North Carolina from admitting illegal immigrants to its colleges and universities, officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said today.
The statement from federal officials contradicts a letter sent this week by the office of state Attorney General Roy Cooper.
The letter from Cooper's office advised the state Community College System that federal law bars the admission of illegal immigrants to public colleges and universities, even if they pay out-of-state tuition.
The letter said that the Department of Homeland Security, of which ICE is a part, was responsible for enforcing the law and offered to ask the department for further clarification of the law.
The department provided that clarification today, at the request of The News & Observer.
"It is left for the school to decide whether or not to enroll" illegal immigrants, the statement reads. "The Department of Homeland Security does not require any school to determine a student's status."
Cooper's office issued its advisory letter six months after the Community College System instituted a controversial new policy requiring admission of all students, regardless of their immigration status, at all of its 58 campuses.

They picked up this story and heard what my program does for kids. Here's their take.