UMD Diamondback: Progress for the paperless (in-state tuition for illegals)

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/progress-for-the-paperless-1.2075192

ANNAPOLIS – More than 400 students — including 15 from this university — gathered in Annapolis yesterday to lobby legislators and rally support for a state bill that would provide undocumented immigrants a path to higher education at in-state tuition prices.

The event, known as Immigrant Action Day, mobilized students and community activists in support of the tuition bill currently under review in the state Senate and House of Delegates. Undocumented students attending institutions of higher eduation today pay out-of-state or international tuition rates — even if they have lived in this for most of their lives state. But if the legislation, known as SB167 in the Senate and HB470 in the House, is passed, students who graduated from a state high school and completed 60 community college credits would be eligible for in-state tuition rates.

CASA de Maryland, a local immigrant advocacy organization, organized shuttle buses to the student-lobbying event from high schools, churches and businesses across the state. And for some students at this university, the day was an important opportunity to speak directly with state legislators about an issue many on the campus feel passionately about.

Senior accounting major Gerson Elias, who helped organize this university's involvement, said every student should be able to earn a degree at an affordable price — regardless of documentation.

"Hopefully, we can get the legislators thinking that maybe even though students are undocumented, they deserve to have access to higher education," he said. "The only thing that's holding a lot of them back is that the cost is overbearing."

During the event, students were able to speak directly to state legislators, many of whom cheered on the advocacy efforts. Sen. Victor Ramirez (D - Prince George's) told the students it was important they voice their support for the bill as it's considered by the General Assembly.

"I hope that you'll make it a habit to come here and to speak out and stand up for the issues you believe in," he said.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

no one else thinks offering in-state tuition to illegals is odd?

[TimmySmith]

I'll bite. CASA de MD is a very well connected organization in MD whose main objective is to cater to non-legal Latino US residents. Maryland has been actively recruiting Mexicans and Central Americans for more than a decade with enticements such as this. In the past decade, Montgomery County, the richest county in MD and one of the richest in the US, has lost over 100K White people and replaced most of them with Latinos. Without making any associative judgments, it has also seen Public School test scores drop, and the rate of schools eligible for title 1 benefits take off. All that said, I am not quite sure what the upside to MD's noticeable effort to entice Immigrant Latinos is thought to be.

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

All that said, I am not quite sure what the upside to MD's noticeable effort to entice Immigrant Latinos is thought to be.

I dont understand it either...I have noticed in predominately black areas of Prince Georges County that more and more Latinos are renting these houses - this is especially noticeable in the areas around Forestville and District Heights. My grandmother had a family living near her, and I'm not quite sure if they were illegal, but one day, they just up and left including leaving a large portion of their stuff behind.

I dont understand why you would welcome illegal immigrants to your communities? I dont see the gains from it

[DjTj]

I'll bite. CASA de MD is a very well connected organization in MD whose main objective is to cater to non-legal Latino US residents. Maryland has been actively recruiting Mexicans and Central Americans for more than a decade with enticements such as this. In the past decade, Montgomery County, the richest county in MD and one of the richest in the US, has lost over 100K White people and replaced most of them with Latinos. Without making any associative judgments, it has also seen Public School test scores drop, and the rate of schools eligible for title 1 benefits take off. All that said, I am not quite sure what the upside to MD's noticeable effort to entice Immigrant Latinos is thought to be.

Are you sure that Montgomery County's test scores are dropping?

Montgomery County Public Schools system sees big jump in average SAT scores, Reverses dip in several groups in 2007, 2008:

Montgomery County Public Schools students who graduated this past school year achieved the highest average SAT score in the school system's history, while black and Hispanic students posted the biggest improvement in SAT scores, according to information released by the school system.

-Mean score up for all students in MCPS Class of 2010 was 1653, up 38 points from Class of 2009

-Hispanic students posted largest gain, up 54 points to 1452

-White students had smallest gain, from 1733 in the 2009 class to 1748 in this year's class

-Students enrolled in English for Speakers of Other Languages were "most improved," up 103 points from a 1156 average score in the 2009 class to 1259 in this year's class

-Special-education students saw a 20-point increase this year on their average score, from 1354 to 1374

http://www.gazette.net/stories/09152010/montsch185742_32538.php

Seven high schools named to Newsweek top 100 in U.S., Montgomery is only system in state whose schools made list:

The county public school system has seven high schools on Newsweek magazine's list of the top 100 public high schools in the nation, the most of any school system.

High schools are named to the top 100 list based on their ability to provide all students with access to Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes. Last year, the school system placed four schools on the Newsweek top-100 list.

The county school system is the only one in Maryland to have high schools on the top-100 list.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/06162010/montsch180900_32550.php

[WALL-LE]

yea and none of those schools that are in the top 100 have any illegals..

theyre all in bethesda area

[Destino]

I want to know why there isn't a path to citizenship available for children that were dragged into an immigration nightmare, raised here, and succeed in school? Deporting people that likely don't even speak Spanish and have no knowledge of where they are from seems needlessly cruel... and what is the advantage of kicking out college kids?

You'd think we'd want to keep those and focus deportations on gang bangers or at least the adults that made the conscious decision to violate the law. These kids need a path forward not a future of chaos in a country that isn't their own.

---------- Post added March-8th-2011 at 10:27 PM ----------

yea and none of those schools that are in the top 100 have any illegals..

theyre all in bethesda area

Is the argument that illegals are too dumb to succeed in school?

[DjTj]

yea and none of those schools that are in the top 100 have any illegals..

theyre all in bethesda area

Richard Montgomery High School, ranked #33 in the nation, is 39.3% White, 25.6% Asian, 17.7% Hispanic, and 17.0% Black. I didn't check their papers. (pdf)

But even schools in other parts of the County are doing very well. Every high school in MoCo made Newsweek's list, meaning they were among the top 6% of schools in the country:

All 25 county high schools made Newsweek's rankings of the nation's top 1,622 high schools.

To be eligible for the list, at least half of the students at a school must take the AP or IB classes in their junior or senior year. The 1,622 high schools to qualify represent about 6 percent of the nation's public schools, according to the Newsweek website.

The article also notes Montgomery County's high graduation rate.

Last week, the county school system was recognized for having the highest graduation rate in the nation among large school systems, according to a national report by Education Week.

The publication's 2010 Diplomas Count report had the county with a graduation rate of 83 percent of its seniors in 2007, the top figure among the nation's 50 largest school systems.

The Fairfax County school system, in neighboring Virginia, had the second-highest graduation rate at 82 percent, according to the report.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/06162010/montsch180900_32550.php

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

I want to know why there isn't a path to citizenship available for children that were dragged into an immigration nightmare, raised here, and succeed in school? Deporting people that likely don't even speak Spanish and have no knowledge of where they are from seems needlessly cruel... and what is the advantage of kicking out college kids?

You'd think we'd want to keep those and focus deportations on gang bangers or at least the adults that made the conscious decision to violate the law. These kids need a path forward not a future of chaos in a country that isn't their own.

I understand what you are saying and I agree - but these kids will undoubtedly need financial aid, and who does that come from? the government. That would mean taking aid away from US citizens and giving it to people who arent even from here - its a damned if you do, damned if you dont situation.

[DjTj]

I understand what you are saying and I agree - but these kids will undoubtedly need financial aid, and who does that come from? the government.

Illegals aren't eligible for federal financial aid.

That would mean taking aid away from US citizens and giving it to people who arent even from here - its a damned if you do, damned if you dont situation.

If they are eligible for in-state tuition, then they are from here. It would mean that they graduated from high school in Maryland (and went to community college), so they or their parents have been paying Maryland income taxes and Maryland sales taxes and Maryland property taxes. (And if you're looking for a reason that states are willing to welcome immigrants, both legal and illegal, just look at the bottom line. As the population of Maryland has grown, the tax base has grown as well).

[GoSkins561]

I'll bite. CASA de MD is a very well connected organization in MD whose main objective is to cater to non-legal Latino US residents. Maryland has been actively recruiting Mexicans and Central Americans for more than a decade with enticements such as this. In the past decade, Montgomery County, the richest county in MD and one of the richest in the US, has lost over 100K White people and replaced most of them with Latinos. Without making any associative judgments, it has also seen Public School test scores drop, and the rate of schools eligible for title 1 benefits take off. All that said, I am not quite sure what the upside to MD's noticeable effort to entice Immigrant Latinos is thought to be.

Pretty much and investors lose interest in areas of the community where illegals congregate.

[Drew_Fl]

well NC has pretty strict rules on who gets in-state tuition so i highly doubt we would see any legislation like that here. i'm a veteran and can't even get in-state status (not that i really need it b/c the GI bill pays the cost anyways).

[Box76]

I want to know why there isn't a path to citizenship available for children that were dragged into an immigration nightmare, raised here, and succeed in school? Deporting people that likely don't even speak Spanish and have no knowledge of where they are from seems needlessly cruel... and what is the advantage of kicking out college kids?

You'd think we'd want to keep those and focus deportations on gang bangers or at least the adults that made the conscious decision to violate the law. These kids need a path forward not a future of chaos in a country that isn't their own.

---------- Post added March-8th-2011 at 10:27 PM ----------

Is the argument that illegals are too dumb to succeed in school?

Deport their law breaking parents and put the kids with a.legal relavtives or b. foster homes. Personally, if it were left up to me all illegals including their children would be on the first bus out.

[DjTj]

Pretty much and investors lose interest in areas of the community where illegals congregate.

Nah, it just attracts a different kind of investor.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2008/12/08/el-pollo-rico-reopens-in-wheaton/

[GoSkins561]

Nah, it just attracts a different kind of investor.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2008/12/08/el-pollo-rico-reopens-in-wheaton/

Cool send them to the what use to be the Golden Mile in Frederick because it's well on it's way down the ****ter. However I'm not sure it's a wise business idea to depend on people that ride bikes to the front of the Home Depot for day labor.

[GoSkins561]

Deport their law breaking parents and put the kids with a.legal relavtives or b. foster homes. Personally, if it were left up to me all illegals including their children would be on the first bus out.

It will never happen, we will be forced to accept illegals or be deemed racist, the choice is yours.

[renaissance]

Why would you not want to improve the community you live in by supporting kids who grew up there being able to go to college? Does that not benefit everyone? These aren't kids who just arrived yesterday and are trying to enroll at UMD. They grew up in MD, went through the public school system, their families pay taxes, they meet every other requirement that you did in order to qualify for in-state tuition.

---------- Post added March-8th-2011 at 07:19 PM ----------

Deport their law breaking parents and put the kids with a.legal relavtives or b. foster homes. Personally, if it were left up to me all illegals including their children would be on the first bus out.

Who do you think is the more productive member of society - the kid who grew up with their parents and went to college, or the kid who was bounced to whatever home was available, seriously decreasing the chances that they will go to college, get a good job, and contribute to the economy?

[DCsportsfan53]

Nah, it just attracts a different kind of investor.

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2008/12/08/el-pollo-rico-reopens-in-wheaton/

So ****ing good. I've been eating there for years, back when it was a tiny hole in the wall with a line around the block. Our dealership buys lunch for the staff on Saturdays and I've gotten them to start getting chicken from their Arlington location. Straight up crack chicken right there.

Just thought I'd note the number of misinformed, generalized stereotypes thrown out in this thread so far. So far we know that MoCos schools have **** the bed since the illegals showed up, the white schools are propping up the test scores, illegals will never pay for anything so the govt will put them through college, illegals are death to investment and we should start deporting parents and essentially kidnap their kids into foster homes, at least if they're adept students. Did I miss anything?