Freedom University: College profs teach barred immigrant students
The AJC has an extraordinary story about five University of Georgia professors who have started a program to teach a weekly seminar course to students who can’t attend one of the state’s premier campuses because of a controversial new policy on immigrant students or because of cuts to state scholarship programs.
The professors call their program Freedom University and they are offering the courses on their own time. Their volunteer effort is no different than the many churches in Georgia that offer aid and classes to immigrant families. It is purely volunteer and does not involve the universities where the professors teach, so there are no taxpayer dollars involved in these classes for children of undocumented parents.
As result of a new state policy adopted last year, illegal immigrants are banned from any University System of Georgia campus that turned away academically qualified students for the past two years. (The campuses are UGA, Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Georgia College & State University and the Medical College of Georgia.)
Although the campuses are not overwhelmed by illegal immigrants, the regents adopted the policy to placate legislators and reassure taxpayers that illegal students weren’t taking spots. Those students may attend the system’s other 30 colleges, but must pay out-of-state tuition, which is about three times as expensive.
According to the story in the AJC:
“This is not a substitute for letting these students into UGA, Georgia State or the other schools,” said Pam Voekel, a history professor at UGA and one of the program’s initiators. “It is designed for people who, right now, don’t have another option.”
“What we’re hoping is that people in decision-making positions will reconsider the policy,” said Reinaldo Roman, another of the organizing professors. “It goes counter to our aims. We have invested enormous resources in these young people. It makes sense to give them a chance at an education.”
For now the course will simply serve to expose the students to a college environment and challenge them intellectually. It will not likely count for credit should the students be accepted at another school, but the professors said they’re seeking accreditation so credits would be transferable at some point in the future.
The five founding professors all work for UGA, but they stress that the program has no connection to the institution. UGA referred a request for comment to the Board of Regents. Regents spokesman John Millsaps said faculty members are generally free to do whatever they want with their free time as long as it doesn’t interfere with their responsibilities as employees of the university system. But he said he didn’t know about enough about the program to comment on this specific case.
Once the professors hatched their plan — which was suggested by an illegal immigrant community member who works with a lot of illegal immigrant teens — they reached out to professors at prestigious schools nationwide to sit on a national board of advisers. One of them is Pulitzer Prize winning author and MIT professor Junot Diaz, who calls policies barring illegal immigrants from state schools cruel and divisive. He said he’s ready to help Freedom University succeed.
“Whatever they ask of me. I’ll do everything and anything I can,” he wrote in an email. “This clearly is going to be a long fight.”
With professors donating their time and a local Latino community outreach center offering a space for free, the program has few costs. They’ve started an Amazon.com wish list asking people to donate textbooks for students and gas cards for volunteers who will drive students to and from class.
Dressed in a black fleece jacket and tan cargo shorts and carrying a black backpack during a protest rally Tuesday at UGA against the policy, 25-year-old Karl Kings looked like he could be headed to class. However, Kings says he’s an illegal immigrant who was brought to the U.S. when he was a year old from a country in Asia that he declined to identify.
“Pretty much, I would be a Georgia boy except I wasn’t born here,” he said. “I grew up here my whole life.”
After graduating from high school in suburban Atlanta in 2004, he dreamed of going to college but couldn’t afford to pay out-of-state tuition. He’s gotten by doing odd jobs, but has had to turn down some more stable or challenging job offers because they required proof of eligibility to work in the U.S. He was filling out an application for Freedom University at the end of the rally this week.
–FROM MAUREEN DOWNEY, AJC GET SCHOOLED BLOG
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113 comments Add your comment
Jordan Kohanim
August 25th, 2011
8:25 pm
Wow! This is amazing and uplifting. Good for these professors.
Maureen, would you please tell how to access the Amazon.com wishlist? I’d love to donate whatever I can.
Cliff
August 25th, 2011
8:26 pm
Link to the wishlist?
Ed Johnson
August 25th, 2011
8:29 pm
Bravo, Freedom University! Bravo!
To where may a modest sum be mailed as a gesture of support?
JohnsCreekMom
August 25th, 2011
8:42 pm
I think this is wonderful. Compassion and the desire to do the right thing. I know the haters are going to come out in droves in the morning about this, but for now, I’m going to bask in the awesomeness of those amazing professors. In the end, young people are getting a great education. What more can you ask?
Cliff
August 25th, 2011
9:13 pm
I think this is the Wish List: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html?ie=UTF8&type=wishlist&id=21LHAU4LKNVV5
Eric
August 25th, 2011
9:24 pm
Well, JohnsCreekMom, this would be fine except our own students are having their HOPE funds cut (especially for teachers), resulting in borrowing huge sums to pay for school (ever hear of indentured servants?). So while I’m okay with non-citizens getting a fine education, keep in mind we seem less able or willing to help our own.
slap stick
August 25th, 2011
9:46 pm
John’s creek mom- You seem excited that people who are not legally in this country are receiving a free education. Let’s entertain that notion for a moment-
Dick gets a free ride to college and a free citizenship chance via the Dream Act. Jane and Spot see Dick run, so they run over to the US too. Pretty soon you have Dicks and Janes everywhere, but Spot doesn’t have enough doggie bones for both of them.
Where do you stop the Dicks of world? How much is too much?
At this point, we may as well just erase our borders, and let everyone in. Hispanics will out-breed us eventually anyway, it’s already irreversible. Look it up on you tube. The government subsidizes the poorest people to have more babies, so yeah, we’ll have to pay for their college. It’s America, after all.
Livestrong
August 25th, 2011
9:52 pm
I am so torn on this. These are people and they deserve an education, but I hate to see our kids’ specials get cut and teachers let go while we are paying hundreds of millions to educate illegals. The free and reduced lunch bill in my district alone for illegals is over 119k. That’s a few teacher right there.
Legend of Len Barker
August 25th, 2011
10:10 pm
Don’t blame illegal immigrants for education funds being cut. Blame your greedy government who has made them a scapegoat.
You know, it’s embarrassing to watch all the legal Georgia kids slog through schools, barely care about anything, take up space, are only there for the free babysitting service that public school education essentially can be at times. Yet, this state wants to deny an education to those actively pursuing it, punishing them – some of them – for sins they didn’t commit. Their parents brought them here for a better life when some of them were toddlers.
They want a better life. They want to be educated and contribute to society. That’s a whole lot more than I can say about half of the kids sitting in classrooms now.
Random Thought
August 25th, 2011
10:11 pm
I agree with Livestrong. The whole immigration problem is not just black and white. We don’t know all the circumstances that cause these people to leave their homes and come to America. However who are we to stop someone who is clearly trying to better themselves and make a better life for themselves. I hate that there is not enough money to go around but it sucks when you see an illegal immigrant really trying to do the best they can but at the same time seeing a natural born citizen taken advantage of opportunities put out there for them.
Jennifer
August 25th, 2011
10:28 pm
Finally, a moment to be proud that I live in Georgia. There is no victim mentality here. Take that politicians, you are about to be shamed. It backfired.
Lee
August 25th, 2011
10:44 pm
Ahhh, the hypocrisy of the politically correct pathogen.
How many times have I read on this blog blaming the illegal alien problem on big, bad businessmen who hire the illegals. But now, when it is the liberal college professors aiding and abetting these criminals, y’all are all aflush with praise.
If these same professors were serving alcohol to underage college students, you’d be wanting them fired. What’s the difference?
Not a damn thing… Fire their sorry butts.
Forsyth County Mom
August 25th, 2011
11:23 pm
Once again liberals are pandering to the criminals. This is unbelievable, that they are offering college courses for free to the illegals yet our children will be broke, unemployed and in debt for years trying to earn their college degrees. It scares me to think how much my daughter already owes in student loans, and she’s only a junior this year. She received multiple scholarships, has a part-time job (and is looking for another one) while these “professors” give it away to those who aren’t even eligible to attend the school. Once again the American students get screwed.
slp98
August 26th, 2011
12:16 am
Forsyth Mom- maybe you should have saved for her college expenses? Or were you expecting one of those liberal goverment handouts (i.e., HOPE) to pay for college? I thought conservatives took responsibility for their own expenses. My parents made huge sacrifices and curbed their spending habits so that my sister and I both were able to complete college and graduate school debt-free. My father made about $50k and my mother didn’t work. My parents drove inexpensive cars and my Dad rode MARTA to his job every day. HOPE wasn’t available to us. Oh, and they were evil LIBERAL DEMOCRATS.
So many parents complain about their kids’ college debt, but I’m sure there are a lot of large houses up in Forsyth with a lot of big SUVs in the driveways, flat screen TVs, etc. Why isn’t anyone saving? I have a relative who makes well into the 6-figures, lives in a 6-bedroom house (in Forsyth, what a coincidence) but isn’t saving for college because he’s counting on HOPE to pay for his child’s education. Brilliant.
I do, however, feel sympathy for those that are punished for their parents’ actions – those that had no say when their parents brought them into the US illegally. For most, this is the only country they’ve ever known. Can you imagine growing up here your entire life, then being shipped off to a country that is foreign to you?
redweather
August 26th, 2011
6:12 am
Pandering to criminals? You’ve been listening to too much Neil Boortz.
Livestrong
August 26th, 2011
6:49 am
Len Barker, are you a teacher? I am. I think that I know what you were going for with the “daycare” remark. It IS indeed up to the student to make school something more than 6 study halls a day. For those who wish to learn, devoted teachers like me work our fingers to the bone. My district has no incentives, no pay for performance. We work because that’s what we signed up for. I have also worked in private and Catholic schools, and only some had certified or formally educated teachers. I was trained in New England, and moved down south to get back to my roots. Once here I heard the “Those who can do, those who can’t teach” nonsense. Both of my degrees are in elementary education, so I can, and i do. I’m not some teacher with a hotel management degree who couldn’t hack it (yes I met one, terrible educator as well). I teach all of the kids who come through the door. But some do cost a lot more than others. I’ll share more after work today.
Lee
August 26th, 2011
6:51 am
“I do, however, feel sympathy for those that are punished for their parents’ actions – those that had no say when their parents brought them into the US illegally.
Over the years, I have read many variations of that statement, to which I would reply “We are not PUNISHING the children of the illegal aliens. As a non-citizen, they do not have rights to the services/entitlements for which they seek.”
Think of it this way, if a welfare queen took her brood to Target and tried to steal children’s clothing, we would not allow the children to keep the clothes. To take the clothes back and return them to the rightful owner is not “punishing” the children.
Likewise, to deny services to the children of illegal aliens is not “punishing” them.
teacher&mom
August 26th, 2011
7:05 am
Good for them.
mountain man
August 26th, 2011
7:06 am
I have no problem with these professors giving classes, as long as it does not interfere with their regular duties. Of course, while the illegals are getting an education, they will not get a diploma. If they want to blame someone, they need to go talk to their parents. They are the one to blame.
Dr NO aka Mr Sunshine
August 26th, 2011
7:33 am
Well of course these “professors” would pull this type stunt. Isnt breaking laws and going against nature what being a liberal is all about.
Next thing this Freedom University will be demanding these students receive credit for classes taken and then it will be allowing them to march then some form of equivalency diploma.
Purely shameful behavior on the part of these eggheads. They should know better but then again these are democrats in action.
Politi Cal
August 26th, 2011
7:46 am
Are they charging “in” or “out-of-state” tuition?
Rick in Grayson
August 26th, 2011
7:51 am
Aiding and abetting illegal immigration! Just another magnet drawing illegal aliens into our country.
We spend more than $1 Billion each year educating (K-12) the children of illegal aliens.
We don’t have jobs for our own citizens (and we will never have those jobs…we will never see 4-5% unemployment again in the US), yet we provide a welfare state to the citizens of other countries.
Kittens and puppies are nice and we can all say “ahh…”. But the rubber meets the road when we can’t afford to provide for them due to job loss and we have to weigh feeding our families against other things we might like to do.
We can not afford to allow the citizens from all the poor countries on this planet to take advantage of our unsustainable welfare state where even the illegal aliens feel a sense of entitlement.
proud liberal
August 26th, 2011
7:56 am
@ Politi Cal,
Which part of “free” don’t you understand?
I bet people like Forsyth mom will be calling for police to set up checkpoints around the place where this program will hold the meetings.
Teacher Reader
August 26th, 2011
7:57 am
This type of behavior is what many who fear a global society and the loss of our American rights have been warning us. The more that I see what is happening in education, the more I believe the papers and information that I have read by those who have been warning the American Public about this. It probably is too late to stop, and our kids are doomed to not really understand right and wrong.
Rick in Grayson
August 26th, 2011
7:57 am
For those who wish to have an open borders immigration policy (the one that Obama just instituted by executive order) just how much are you willing to pay out of your own pockets to support illegal immigration?
For those who think these kids should be entitled to the privileges of US citizenship, have you written checks to your local government to help defray the costs for these illegal aliens?
Rick in Grayson
August 26th, 2011
8:08 am
There is another side to illegal immigration that isn’t so “nice”! Now that illegal aliens are being protected here by Obama’s new non-deportation policy, criminals from other countries will take their chance at not being caught here in the US for their criminal activities.
“Texas parole officials can soon use a new state law to begin deporting some of the 11,000 foreign citizens who are incarcerated in state prisons.
The Austin American-Statesman reports the deportations could save taxpayers millions of dollars.
The state law, which takes effect Sept. 1, allows the parole board to approve convicts for parole on the condition that they are deported to their home country. The law covers foreigners convicted of both violent and nonviolent crimes.”
tim
August 26th, 2011
8:31 am
I guess college professors, along with some posters, don’t understand what illegal means.
Mocha Jones
August 26th, 2011
8:36 am
I for one am sick to death of coming on this “education” blog and reading the disgusting mantra that always resonates here:
…. Illegal children are wonderful and American students are meaningless trash
What rock do you live under? This is the only place I know that supports illegal immigrants in this fashion. The rest of the COUNTRY seems to be on the sane path to reality. Even with this recession still hanging over us and the daily sights of what has happened to the American taxpaying family and their children, your ilk still has the audacity to choose an illegal alien child over an American born child.
Do you have to wonder why more and more Americans are becoming disgusted with illegal immigration and demanding that their states take action that the feds refuse to? It is because of stories like this where you choose to help lawbreakers above your own neighbor.
When these hand outs that you people keep giving to illegals don’t pan out and our immigration policies are finally upheld, please don’t be suprised. “Acts of humanity” such as this will only weaken your cause and cause anger to the point of destroying your illegal frinds plight. Those you “helping” these illegals and their “wonderful children” are really their enemy in disguise.
It is truely disgusting that you have the audacity to believe what you are doing is right. Look in the mirror for yourself to blame when illegals have no hope here in America. The DREAM Act is just that … just a dream!
Lee
August 26th, 2011
8:42 am
I always find it ironic that I will be issued a citation for rolling through a Stop sign at 2mph. But yet, even when confronted with direct evidence that the criminal alien is right in front of them, the police will do nothing.
I guess there is no money to be had by rounding them up and deporting them. Rolling through a STOP sign? That’s a hundred bucks and the police are all over that. To be fair, though, I realize that most patrol officers would love to round the illegals up because they see first hand the crime and devastation the illegals bring to our towns and neighborhoods, but the “powers that be” will not let them.
catlady
August 26th, 2011
8:42 am
Let’s see. How is this hurting our U.S. kids? The professors are not getting paid, and the kids are not getting actual credit. No university buildings are being used, and no US kids are losing their places. No state or federal money is paying for financial aid. Where’s the beef on this particular issue?
We used to, in the 60s and 70s, have this same thing. At my university, it was called Free U. Same idea, but for different reasons.
In the early days of women’s college education, professors at Harvard and Columbia did the same thing. Later they became “coordinate colleges” –schools like Radcliffe and St. Mary’s (coordinate college for Notre Dame).
MamaH
August 26th, 2011
8:43 am
Okay, this is what America is about: the freedom to start your own business if you so desire. These professors (as stated by the Board of Regents) have no restrictions (within reason) on how they spend their free time. As long as they are fulfilling their time requirements (not just class but office time as well) and as long as they are not using the University buildings and instead are renting their own space for these classes, in other words, not one taxpayer dime is going to this venture then it is their freedom to do so. That still does not mean that the students are now “legal”. They are still lawbreakers and, if 18, are no longer minors and are subject to all laws pertaining to adults. They can no longer use the excuse that they have no choice. What people seem to be forgetting is that this law does not apply to all colleges and universities in Georgia so if higher education is their ultimate goal and they wish to pay out of state tuition, which is only fair, there are options.
Lee
August 26th, 2011
8:46 am
@Rick, unfortunately, until the FEDERAL government fixes the border, those criminals will merely sneak into the US to wreak more havoc.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
8:46 am
“With professors donating their time and a local Latino community outreach center offering a space for free, the program has few costs.”
@Maureen:
Just what is this “Latino community outreach center”? Who owns the building, pays taxes on, it and pays utilities? Is it owned by illegal aliens? Is this some government 501c3? If it is, THE TAXPAYERS ARE FUNDING IT, as the organization would get money TAX FREE. I thought America was BROKE and needs to raise taxes to pay the INTEREST on our $14.7 TRILLION DEBT!
Here are some statistics:
PEW Hispanic Center:
Illegal immigrant population:
15,254,840
COSTS SINCE JANUARY 1
fairus.org
Cost to Federal government
$29,235,950,000
Schooling of illegal children:
$18,581,100,000
Federal PRISON
$974,533,900
Remittance to Latin countries
$19,490,720,000
As you can see, this population group is not “free”.
If this group is so loyal to America, and their native country is so BAD, that they had to leave, WHY DO THEY CONTINUE TO SEND SO MUCH MONEY TO THEIR HOMELAND?
Not sure about other countries, but Mexicans ARE CITIZENS FOR LIFE! You can’t renounce your citizenship. Therefore, anyone here illegally from that country is technically an INVADER.
Once again, let me bring up THE RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD, Carlos Slim, the son of Lebanese immigrants to Mexico. This Mexican entrepreneur has been allowed to become a MONOPOLIST in Mexico, and has added to the woes of the lower class, according to Professor Celso Garrido, an economist at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México.
“The Mexican magnate’s growing fortune has caused a controversy because it has been amassed in a developing country where per capita income does not surpass $14,500 a year, and nearly 17% of the population lives in poverty.[21] Critics claim that Slim is a monopolist, pointing to Telmex’s control of 90% of the Mexican landline telephone market. Slim’s wealth is the equivalent of roughly 5% of Mexico’s annual economic output.[22] Telmex, of which 49.1% is owned by Slim and his family, charges among the highest usage fees in the world, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.[23]
According to Professor Celso Garrido, an economist at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Slim’s domination of Mexico’s conglomerates prevents the growth of smaller companies, resulting in a shortage of paying jobs and forcing many Mexicans to seek better lives north of the Rio Grande.[24]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Slim
Not only that, Mr. Slim is cashing in on the downtrodden state of America, buying up devalued NYC property and most recently, the NY Times, according to the Wall Street Journal:
“Mr. Slim purchased 450,000 shares at between $6.60 and $6.81, Times Co. disclosed in a securities filing Wednesday. A day earlier, the company said Mr. Slim had bought 553,000 shares at between $6.83 and $7.09. Together, the transactions increased Mr. Slim’s stake in the media company to 7.5% from 6.9%.
Mr. Slim also holds warrants to buy 15.9 million shares, which he was issued in 2009 when he lent Times Co. $250 million as it was grappling with plummeting revenue and mounting debt. The warrants, if exercised, would increase Mr. Slim’s stake to nearly 17% of the company’s common shares.”
So I would say that the real VILLAIN, the MISGUIDED University professors should be addressing, is the government of Mexico and their MONOPOLIST Mr. Slim!
And of course, like all the rich elite, HE HAS A TAX EXEMPT FOUNDATION! WHY AREN’T THEY PETITIONING MR. SLIM FOR FULL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE EX-PATRIOT MEXICAN CITIZENS?
“In 1995 he established Fundación Telmex, a broad-ranging philanthropic foundation. This followed the creation of his eponymous non-profit philanthropic foundation, Fundación Carlos Slim Helú in 1986. In 2007 it was announced that the latter body had an asset base of $4 billion and that it would be establishing Carso Institutes for Health, Sports and Education. Furthermore, it was to work in support of an initiative of Bill Clinton to aid the people of Latin America.[2]”
Mexicans, need cash?
CALL FUNDACION TELMEX and DEMAND YOUR FAIR SHARE!
Lee
August 26th, 2011
8:51 am
Aid and Abet: The person who aids and abets participates in the commission of a crime by performing some Overt Act or by giving advice or encouragement. He or she must share the criminal intent of the person who actually commits the crime, but it is not necessary for the aider and abettor to be physically present at the scene of the crime. An aider and abettor is a party to a crime and may be criminally liable as a principal, an Accessory before the fact, or an accessory after the fact.
Like I said, these professors should be held criminally liable for aiding and abetting the ILLEGAL ALIEN break our laws by being in this country.
Mac
August 26th, 2011
9:17 am
Lord the rednecks are out in force today.
Kudos to the professors and to the students who wish to better their lives just as our ancestors did. Hopefully this will lead to them becoming educated and productive legalized citizens down the road. The American Dream. I will never understand the idiots in this country that wish to deny others what they so take for granted.
Knock yourselves OUT!
August 26th, 2011
9:23 am
This is nothing but a poorly crafted PR stunt by liberal college professors. We are talking about a small handful of illegal students that they are helping. They went to the media with this story and unfortunately it is going to be a trainwreck. Illegals will be hurt by this more than they are helped. There is nothing that an illegal alien can say or do that will not permanently damage their so-called rights here in America.
What I find truely sad is that there are over 10 times more, equally or better deserving American students that can’t go to college because of HOPE funding or their parents have lost their jobs.
Why are you helping someone that has no hope of getting employed in this country? Do you think illegal alien (criminal) is going to look good on a resume?
These illegal students were brought here and raised in an environment of entitlement and deception. Have you ever heard the phrase, “why buy the cow (become a citizen) when you can get the milk (education, healthcare, welfare) for free?
Keep up the fight … knock yourselves OUT!
Mocha Jones
August 26th, 2011
9:32 am
“Lord the rednecks are out in force today.”
Yep – and the xenophobes, racists, etc, etc, etc. Mac, your hate words that you folks like to throw about and try and make stick are truely disgusting. It’s people like you that have done damage to the true meaning of HATE. You have watered it down so much trying to pin those hate words on everyone that doesn’t agree with you.
Just like those of us that disagree with Obama’s political failures are racist, rednecks, or evangelical Christians!
Fondly,
Mocha Jones, Black Woman
(racist, redneck, xenophobe, right wing conservative Christian) – acording to Mac, etal
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
9:36 am
@ Mac
Just what does a sunburned neck, obtained through the honest hard labor of the farmer, have to to with the topic of illegal immigration? Perhaps you have a nice cushy job with that nice “Latino Community Outreach Center” 501C3 TAX EXEMPT “non-profit”, yes?
Dr NO aka Mr Sunshine
August 26th, 2011
9:37 am
http://www.buildtheborderfence.com
Ive donated and so should you.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
9:41 am
@Mac
As for the “American Dream”, you have to be a U.S. citizen. No one is stopping Latin American countries from having a “Latin American” dream. Like I said, MEXICAN LEBANESE IMMIGRANT Carlos Slim, has his nice 501c3 non-profit, funded with $4 BILLION DOLLARS, ready to improve the education of Mexicans. GO FOR IT!
Bytestalker
August 26th, 2011
9:42 am
Are the professors teaching a naturalization class so these students can become American citizens? Don’t these students believe they should become legal citizens? That would solve a lot of the issues. I would have asked the professors those questions. That will show the real intent of both the professors and students. Does this show by the professors solve the problem or is it just the typical aggravate the situation and give no solution (politician approach)?
Really amazed
August 26th, 2011
9:47 am
Why doesn’t our gov’t just grow some balls!! Let ANY student that TRULY wants to learn in. Make them ALL sign documents stating that…if I don’t hold up my end of the deal, I am out!!! This meaning… I will listen in class, do all of my work/homework, study and not be disruptive!!!! If they don’t, they are out!!!! We need to stop educating ANYONE that doesn’t want to be in school. This is the true waste that is happening today. Public ed, needs to revamp the system for students that WANT TO BE THERE ONLY!!!
GNGS
August 26th, 2011
9:48 am
The reality is that these undocumented aliens are not leaving and mass deportation is not practical. If you are concerned about the cost associated with undocumented aliens, you should be supporting efforts to make them more productive and have them contribute more to our society. There are estimated 400,000 to 500,000 undocumented aliens in GA. If they are given a pathway towards documented status, we will be able to collect tax from them for services we are already paying (i.e., K-12 education for their kids etc). With a 6% state income tax rate and assuming each will pay $1,000, we will see an increase of revenues of $400,000,000 to $500,000,000 annually in state income tax alone.
To support kids who are undocumented but capable and motivated is good to us as a society. They will be more productive and contribute more. If we do not support them, we will end up supporting their kids who will be American citizens.
Pompano
August 26th, 2011
9:58 am
I’m just impressed that the AJC actually used the term “Illegals” in the head-line rather than some PC term.
However, it does show the entitlement mentality of the Illegals that we allow them into the Colleges and Universities within the state but they still protest because it’s not the school of their choice. There are many fine Institutions that these criminals are allowed to attend – so you bleeding hearts stop with the rhetoric of withholding a quality education from these kids.
William Casey
August 26th, 2011
9:59 am
This is an inspiring story, reminiscent of the movie “Billy Jack” back in the early ’70’s. People want to learn, people want to teach. Seems like a good thing to me. I would love to teach a seminar on American culture in such an environment. I watched a program on PBS last night about early 20th century immigration. One segment explored Henry Ford’s efforts to “Americanize” immigrant workers through company sponsored English language schools. Very interesting. Yeah, I know that those immigrants were here legally. However, what I bet most haters don’t know is that prior to 1924 it was relatively easy to immigrate to America and for very specific reasons: we needed cheap labor to settle the West and for industrialization. I never forget that under current rules, my ancestors would have either remained mired in poverty or trying to swim here from Ireland and Germany. I guess that the haters ancestors were dropped into America by God. “America for the Americans!” I bet that Sitting Bull and Geronimo would have agreed with that sentiment.
Lest I be accused of drinking the liberal koll-aid, let’s remember that this Freedom School is only a symbolic gesture, emphasizing that people are people and that learning is always a good thing. Nobody is getting their “ticket punched” for a good job at taxpayer expense. As for the haters, I’m guessing that most of you wouldn’t be an American under today’s rules for legal immigration. Even the Pilgrims came here legally ONLY IF you accept the sovereignty of King James I of England, a dubious proposition at best. I’m for securing our borders. But, I’m also for returning to pre-1924 immigration law. If someone wants to come here to learn and work their way up, I’m for it. I think that my great-grandfather, William Patrick Casey circa 1875 would have agreed.
Not so fast
August 26th, 2011
10:00 am
To those who scold American parents for not saving…Why don’t the illegal immigrants sacrifice and save for their children’s education – they can go to any school in the USG program, except those that are oversubscribed.
To those who applaud these faculty – You do realize that UGA departments cut courses from the curriculum because there supposedly wasn’t enough money to pay the faculty to teach them, so if the faculty want to “volunteer” why don’t they start by volunteering to teach classes that would serve the hundreds of UGA students who can’t get into the history course they need to graduate on time?
To those who say this is not a conflict of interest – Maybe the time spent teaching is outside regular business hours, but is the course taught somewhere other than on the campus (faculty offices are not their private property)? Are materials printed at Kinko/FedEx or the faculty members’ home printers at their (not the university’s expense)? Are the course preparations and communications (via email and phone) conducted on the faculty members’ private equipment, not university computers and phones? If not, then UGA is paying overhead expenses and direct costs to pay for this program. UGA even has forms to file for outside activities that indicate uses of equipment, libraries, facilities, etc. that are supposed to be reviewed for conflict of interest in approving activities. Was the proper paperwork filed? It is necessary even for “unpaid” activities because of the overhead expenses and need to check whether the university benefits from the activity.
To those who say all US born students are lazy…Get real. There are plenty of lazy immigrant kids who join gangs or play sports rather than study in school, just like there are plenty of US born kids who do so. But the majority of students are there to learn and work pretty hard when challenged. With the ridiculously low standards of public education in Georgia, the constant test preparation being done, and the disproportionate emphasis on social and sports accomplishments, there isn’t much reason to expect the best work from students here. I don’t think these kids have a sense of Entitlement so much as a sense of Inevitability – it is relatively easy to get good grades in public school and we don’t measure success by any other yardstick.
teacher&mom
August 26th, 2011
10:04 am
@catlady….good points.
I suspect that those who call for the arrest of the professors have the same mindset as those, from previous generations, who thought “Separate by Equal” was a fair policy and a woman’s place was in the home….not a college or voting booth.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
10:05 am
@GNGS
NEWSFLASH! Berlin, Germany, April 20, 1945.
Undocumented workers from Russia, the United States and Britain crossed Germany’s border in search of a better country. German’s welcomed them with open arms, giving them the keys to the city, including the Reichstag, which was immediately turned into an “Allied Community Outreach Center.”
Not so fast
August 26th, 2011
10:08 am
The “local Latino outreach center” sounds like the organization that was run in affiliation with the UGA Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. I know that one of the UGA Center directors helped run a Latino outreach center in Athens.
thomas
August 26th, 2011
10:18 am
@ Mac & New Minority,
I bet a lot more of these “illegal aliens” have “a sunburned neck, obtained through the honest hard labor of the farmer” than the most of those who are complaining about them.
@ Mocha,
Well, why don’t you stay away, then?
@ Not so fast,
To replace these QUALIFIED undocumented students, these universities will have to dip into the less qualified pool of students. That is a fact.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
10:28 am
@the Esteemed William Casey
You said:
“what I bet most haters don’t know”
“I guess that the haters ancestors”
“As for the haters,”
Could you clarify your use of “hater”. It is defined as “one who hates”.
Please tell us specifically, who hates whom? Why?
Politi Cal
August 26th, 2011
10:29 am
@Proud Liberal Seems you missed my point, but that’s not surprsing. I suppose your kids go to college for “free?” Mine don’t.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
10:35 am
@Thomas
The operative word here is “honest”. Illegally entering this country isn’t “honest”. You might be surprised to know that my spouse is fluent in Spanish and grew up in a Latin American country.
soul_survivin
August 26th, 2011
10:46 am
Lets keep in mind that in general, the Univ of Georgia is doing a poor job ot recruiting and maintaining minority students even if they are legal. It is about time that this instituation stand up and do whats right and allow different perspectives. After all, differences should be embraced. Sorry, but I do not care about the students who are loosing grants. Many of them can still afford the tuition anyway!
Freedom isn't Free
August 26th, 2011
10:56 am
While those professors are out teaching illegal immigrants, they are not available to the legal citizens who need to talk to them after class is over.
Have you ever taken a college class as a legal citizen and paid the tuition and your parents paid the taxes and you were in a class of about 200 other students — so you tried to find the prof at his office to ask a question?
Ever done that?
Well, you can’t do it if the prof is out helping criminals with their education. Yes, that’s right, criminals. They are here illegally and that is a crime.
Undocumented ?
No, they are well documented. They are documented they are breaking the law.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
10:59 am
@ soul-survivin
Please post your 501C3 Illegal Minority Scholarship Fund information. I would like to go to Mexico and promote your generous charitable fund! I am glad SOMEONE puts their money where their mouth is!
To New Minority From Good Mother
August 26th, 2011
11:00 am
Thanks for your facts. I agree. We cannot afford illegals.
Renee
August 26th, 2011
11:02 am
We are not responsible for the poor decisions of the kids’ parents, nor should we bear the costs of those decisions. The parents chose to make their children illegal aliens. Application of the law is not “punishment.” At the same time, the professors are free to do whatever they choose with their own time and resources. The seminars are not funded by the state. Why begrudge the ability to learn if you are not financially impacted?
College is not a right; it is a privilege. No one should expect the government to pay for it. It is also not a parental obligation to provide college funds, especially at the expense of their own retirement funding. An education means more to those who are motivated enough to pay for it themselves.
Van Jones
August 26th, 2011
11:09 am
A university should try to “recruit” and “maintain” a particular group of students? A group that is not defined by their academic abilities? Sounds a little racist to me.
thomas
August 26th, 2011
11:26 am
@ New minority,
You should never be held guilty by association. In the same way, you don’t get any credit for association, either. The fact that your wife is fluent in Spanish etc does not make your opinion any better or worse. Moreover, growing up in a Latin American country means nothing in this context.
@ Freedom isn’t free,
Have you evern asked professors how much of their “office hours” they just sit alon in their offices because none of his/her students would come to the office hours? Moreover, unlike doctors on-call, college professors (or school teachers) have no obligation to meet with their students at any time that is convenient to their students. These professors can easily provide this service without interference to their duties as professors at the UGA.
catlady
August 26th, 2011
11:34 am
slap stick–and there are a lot of Dicks in Georgia!
To other posters who say this will just encourage more to come across the border: Jose and Saul are sitting in the shade of a tree in central Mexico. Jose says (in Spanish, as he doesn’t speak English), “Hey, let’s cross the border through the desert or pay thousands to a coyote to smuggle us in the unairconditioned back of a van crammed with other immigrants so we can go to Georgia and take college classes for free in a language we don’t speak!” Saul says, “Hey, that sounds great! When we get there we will sign up for all kinds of benefits and register to vote!” C’mon now.
Mocha Jones
August 26th, 2011
11:36 am
@ thomas
Let us not forget that you called me (and many others) Xenophobe on a previous blog.
I have no problem with legal immigrants that are citizens of the country, whether they are white, black, Asian, Latino, Indian, etc…. The problem most of us have is the ILLEGAL part of the equation. These professors could have easily picked a group of LEGAL latinos, but this would not have made the headlines.
I am all for teaching the best and the brightest of this nation, but only if they are LEGAL. These ILLEGAL students of ILLEGAL parents are BAD APPLES that don’t fall far from the tree. They have had over a decade to do the right thing for themslves and their children, but instead they continue to break laws upon laws and TEACH their children through their actions as most parents do!
Hard working Americans are so tired of being used and mistreated. Many of these people that have lost their jobs are going to read about these professors and what they are doing symobolically for ILLEGALS and it is going to make them angry.
Illegal supporters continue to slap the majority of the citizens in the face with their rhetoric. Mama says DON’T BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU.
thomas
August 26th, 2011
11:39 am
I am really not a citizen of this country. You people owe me something and I will take whatever I want.
Dr NO aka Mr Sunshine
August 26th, 2011
12:03 pm
William Casey
August 26th, 2011
9:59 am
Beautiful! No go round up David Crosby and the two of ya drop some LSD or smoke some pot.
Dr NO aka Mr Sunshine
August 26th, 2011
12:04 pm
“Sounds a little racist to me.”
Takes one to know one…VAAAAN
William Casey
August 26th, 2011
12:07 pm
@NewMinority: I use “haters” in a loose, general way (not meaning actual “hate”) to describe those sad individuals who live in cringing fear that somehow, some way, some unworthy person is stealing their own righteously earned wealth and privileges. Got it?
William Casey
August 26th, 2011
12:09 pm
@DRNO: actually, I’m leaving right now for a lunch date with a self-styled “Hippie Chick.” I’ll let you know how it goes. LOL
Van Jones
August 26th, 2011
12:25 pm
Dr. NO, how do you figure?
Not so fast
August 26th, 2011
1:34 pm
thomas…you are wrong on so many fronts, I don’t know where to begin. I was a full professor at UGA for 15 years, so believe when I say there are lots of highly qualified students turned away each year. Points are assigned at admissions office for lots of things – athletics, family financial contributions, first in family to attend college, military service, valedictorian of hs class, % of students from candidate’s high school who attend college (point for coming from a school with low college attendance rate), other indicators/predictors of academic achievement (high honors in music, academic competitions, etc.). Diversity is a stated goal of all state post-secondary institutions and you better believe that counts with Honors programs, Foundation Fellows, and even general admission to the university – there are more students qualified for all of these programs than can be accepted, and sometimes just the essay topic or an inperson meeting with a key official gets the student admitted. There is no need at the top universities to admit “less qualified” individuals in terms of test scores and grades, but in terms of those points awarded by admissions, illegal immigrants with an acceptable but not necessarily outstanding SAT score and GPA would be admitted above most Georgia residents with comparable records who apply to these schools. UGA, like every other school, is desperately seeking “diversity” in its student population from among the many qualified candidates they get, and that characteristics can be enough to elevate an application from the rest.
As far as lonely faculty pining in their offices for students to come by…I always was expected to be available via email and phone to students any time of the day or night. I consulted with students on the nights before tests (sometimes as late as 12:00 midnight) and even when I was in the hospital maternity ward the day after I gave birth. I think people forget that UGA faculty are state employees, and avoiding conflict of interest is a reasonable requirement for state employees to be held to. I am now working for the federal government, and I can not only lose my job but also go to jail if I don’t seek advance permission to engage in a professional activity (teaching, research, consulting, book writing, editing) whether or not I get paid, if it is later determined to be a conflict of interest with my job responsibilities. I cannot see how providing free university education is not a conflict of interest with UGA’s educational responsibilities to state residents and paying out of state residents. Since I still pay property taxes in Georgia, I am not thrilled that qualified American-born and legal residents will be told to go to a different school while this group, while possibly qualified (that was not established in the article), demands admittance to the most competitive programs.
Lee
August 26th, 2011
1:45 pm
Definition: Haters – anyone who holds an opinion different from the politically correct ideology.
Really amazed
August 26th, 2011
1:49 pm
@Not so fast, why don’t people understand that the minority student will be admitted over the high academic white male every time??? You are so correct! University check list….first in minority! No one wants to believe this. It doesn’t matter if illegal or not. The problem is going to be in a few years that the minority is the new majority. So maybe things will switch back then. NOT!
we lost our way
August 26th, 2011
2:04 pm
@Not so fast—-Agree 100% that this is a conflict of interest.The Board of Regents or Governors Office should step in and stop this Now!!! I have called the Governor’s office and stated my feelings.I was told they were looking into the matter today.
Really amazed
August 26th, 2011
2:40 pm
@we lost our way, really?? Don’t you think The Board of Regents is part of the problem??
Vox Populi
August 26th, 2011
3:08 pm
Let them go to college in their own third world countries. These profs should go with them as adjunct faculty?
I guess they don’t get enough freebies back home? Welfare? EBT cards? Rent vouchers?
Not so fast
August 26th, 2011
3:38 pm
Take a look at the full article (link in the original blog from Maureen). The last section, which was not included in this blog, describes a student whose parents are planning to head back to Mexico after 14 years here during which time their daughter received all her education free (compared with only 8 years free in Mexico). They encouraged her to go with them and apply for College there, but she demurred because all her friends and here and she doesn’t remember Mexico. Oops, and she forgot to mention she has to pay for school in Mexico, too. Mexico has several world-class university programs, so it isn’t about the quality of education.
So here’s my beef – these students who are not citizens of the state of Georgia (but “feel like” they are) are demanding something citizens cannot have. I left Georgia for economic reasons and moved out of state. I still pay a mortgage in Georgia on a house I probably will not be able to sell for 3 years (trying not to damage my neighborhood there or my credit rating) and have to also pay rent where I live. My child had to leave all her friends and everything she knew up to the age of 10 in order to come with me. So, do I get to go back to Georgia in five years when my kid is ready for college and claim in-state tuition because Georgia is her “home” and I pay taxes there? Certainly not! Will my child have an edge on getting into UGA because she “knows” Georgia culture and was forced through no fault of her own to move away? No, of course not.
These kids are fluent in Spanish, eat Mexican foods, engage fully in their Mexican culture, and have extended family there that they certainly know. Many have Mexican drivers’ licenses and identity cards. So what if they also have IPods, wear Abercrombie and Fitch, and eat hamburgers and pizza. It is not quite the same as taking an American born and raised teenager who has no connection to Mexico and cannot speak the language and tossing him or her into the college mix there. In fact, Mexican universities also have foreign students and visiting faculty, many from the US, and have classes taught in English in many disciplines, so it really should not be that hard to find Americans to mix with if that is their preference.
Mac
August 26th, 2011
3:48 pm
You are correct Mocha – I shouldn’t have insulted rednecks that way. They are probably much more accepting and educated than many on this blog.
Kicked dog and all that
Mark
August 26th, 2011
3:57 pm
This looks like a cheap publicity stunt. It’s not like the “students” don’t have other options than UGA. There are 30 other state institutions that would be more than happy to admit and educate any academically qualified students. They would be much better off in one of those schools than taking unaccredited classes in a community center.
Many protestors want to paint the USG as the bad guys in this situation. The Board of Regents did not want to institute this type of policy. They were strong-armed into it by some powerful legislators who control the purse strings.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
4:02 pm
@Not so fast
Thank you for speaking up and giving logical, legal, reasons for sending these students packing. I also appreciate the point you made regarding a UGA professor’s state employee status and an obvious conflict of interest in teaching at this “FREEdom University”. They could be legally culpable for “aiding and abetting”.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
4:15 pm
To those of you who have entered this country with falsified documents, and continue to use falsified birth certificates, driver’s licenses, etc. to give the ILLUSION that you are a U.S. citizen, HAVE I GOT A COLLEGE FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don’t say THIS “hater” ain’t looking’ out fer ya! I trolled the internet and came up with the PERFECT PRIVATE LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE THAT IS JUST BEGGING FOR DIVERSE STUDENTS AS YOURSELVES.
Just look at the goodies they have for YOU! If you know that “yes” means “si”, YOU ARE IN THE MONEY!
“A “yes” answer could put students in line to qualify for a SCHOLARSHIP WORTH ONE-THIRD OF TUITION at the private, liberal arts school affiliated with the United Church of Christ, said Rold.
The college also plans to direct students to groups or resources to help them feel more comfortable on campus.”
Apply NOW! After all, are they going to say “prove it?”
Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Elmhurst-College-to-Ask-About-Sexual-Orientation–128378348.html?#ixzz1WASATSXk
Equality Advocate
August 26th, 2011
4:44 pm
@ New Minority. A curiously close-minded comment, evidently equating illegal immigrants with LGBT American citizens.
Elmhurst College–a solid, reputable college in a wealthy Chicago suburb–has just announced that it encourages applicants to voluntarily state their sexual orientation to encourage college diversity. It says nothing at all about scholarships for such students–you are making that up. I note that this college was just named a ‘Best in the Midwest’ : “For the eighth year in a row, the influential Princeton Review recognizes the College’s academic programs and personal approach toward students.”
You should love ALL of God’s children. WWJD?
Reality Check
August 26th, 2011
4:56 pm
If the professors are donating their time to help unforunate young people, good for them! If they are doing it for a PR stunt or to make a political statement, it will fall on deaf ears. If you would like to send money to help them, that is great! I would like to know how to donate to the cost of deportation which keeps being mentioned as impossibe; I bet we could easily raise the money for that! And I think it is more than possible. Someone who cares needs to advise illegals that demanding their “rights” is not a good PR move and is counterproductive.
Eric
August 26th, 2011
5:56 pm
Regardless of who’s enrolled (legally or not), higher education (except for these professors) is generally out to get all the money they can. So many new fees for athletics, campus activities, etc., of which most students don’t have time, nor want, to participate. Oh, I forgot, good luck finding a job in this economy to pay off all the debt you’ve just loaded up. I think we are living out a “myth” of college = jobs.
the prof
August 26th, 2011
6:17 pm
@not so fast…..BULL…S&%^. No professors take calls from students at midnight and they are NOT expected to be available 24-7. If you did this, more power to you, but I have not, and will never. I’ve been a professor for 15 years and I rarely have students show up to assigned, posted, advertised, and published office hours, therefore, I feel no obligation whatsoever to be available to them once I am done for the day.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
7:25 pm
TRUTH: Your comment is awaiting moderation….
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
7:29 pm
@=advocate
For some reason my truthful comment is awaiting moderation. Perhaps I will be allowed to ask you this:
How will Elmhurst College “verify” if the “yes” checked in the box is true?
Equality Advocate
August 26th, 2011
8:44 pm
@New Minority: All racial and ethnic minorities self-identify right now! When a person applies to a college or university and are asked his/her race or ethnicity, there is no way to check that either. So the demographic figures ALWAYS depend upon the applicant declaring his/her race (white, black, Asian or biracial) and/or ethnicity (Hispanic). Same would be true here I presume, since it’s against federal law to ask a person’s sexual orientation.
Elmhurst is simply making a statement that all minorities are welcome, including sexual minorities. That’s all.
Equality Advocate
August 26th, 2011
8:46 pm
P.S. @ New Minority. Interesting that Elmhurst is affiliated with the United Church of Christ, which evidently sees this as a perfectly acceptable, Christian thing to do.
NewMinority
August 26th, 2011
9:15 pm
A Christian College doesn’t receive Federal funding.
http://triblocal.com/elmhurst/community/stories/2011/07/elmhurst-college-names-lee-daniels-to-key-government-relations-post/
proud liberal
August 26th, 2011
9:30 pm
@ Eric,
“Regardless of who’s enrolled (legally or not), higher education (except for these professors) is generally out to get all the money they can.”
I thought that’s THE American way… Money, Money, Money, Money.
bootney farnsworth
August 26th, 2011
9:53 pm
what part of “illegal” is getting past some of you?
just for a minute consider that one of several reasons HOPE
is in trouble is due to spending it on educating people who
aren’t even supposed to be here?
bootney farnsworth
August 26th, 2011
9:55 pm
what I’m curious about is where have these publicty hounds been for the last decade? were they giving out their expertise for free when it wasn’t cool to do so?
bootney farnsworth
August 26th, 2011
9:58 pm
BTW: almost all those kids would be welcomed with open arms at GPC. we got space, and almost never turn any legal applicant away.
legal – there’s that concept again. darn those pesky laws
bootney farnsworth
August 26th, 2011
10:00 pm
I like money.
Ole Guy
August 27th, 2011
12:21 am
Amazing, uplifting, wonderful…try stupendous, outstanding, and worthy of leaping tall buildings in a single bound.
Now looky here, people…I’m all for helping those who, despite best (legal) efforts, cannot seem to get out of the starting gate. But, insofar as illegals go, let us not become ensnared in entanglements of the heart. They KNOWINGLY chose to violate the law; they KNOWINGLY accept all forms of government assistance (which place undue burden upon MY Social Security)…and now these (learned) college profs see fit to reward those who chose the “easy way”, rather than embark on the red-tape-saga of dealing with (what all-too often seems like) cumbersome bureaucracy. WE, as bonafide U.S. citizens, are obliged to deal with this very same bureaucracy any time we wish to (LEGALLY) visit another country which shares this blue bb in space. Thousands, if not millions, dealt with this very same government bureaucracy on a lil’ ole island called Ellis.
Now, the very same mentors who (presumably) expect and demand high levels of performance seem to have no problem (essentially) aiding and abeting those who chose short cuts over the right way of achieving goals and objectives; somehow, this smacks of a wiff of hypocricy.
Illegal immigration will slow, modulate, and eventually diminish to more-manageable levels ONLY when these type of “rewards” are taken away. As it now stands, the proverbial pot of gold awaits those who circumvent OUR laws. We can stick our collective nose in the air and sniff self-fullfilling adages of helping the down-trodden, etc. UNTIL the illegal population realizes…just like their LEGAL counterparts from around the world…that their is ONE, and only ONE right way, they receive absolutely no sympathy from this Ole Soldier.
NewMinority
August 27th, 2011
12:30 am
@=advocate
“When a person applies to a college or university and are asked his/her race or ethnicity, there is no way to check that either.”
LOL! Really? I thought you had to send a photo with your application. So a white guy can check “African American”, and the school will accept his self-declaration as a minority? That opens HUGE scholarship possibilities!
Well, it would be even harder to identify “gay/lesbian” from a photo or personal interview. It might be downright impossible to disprove a claim. Wow! Just check “yes” for a 1/3 tuition discount!
MB
August 27th, 2011
9:01 am
Interesting information here. Please note the reliability of sources, and that several were written during the Bush administration, so…
http://www.combatingglobalization.com/organizing/countering_the_myths_about_undocumented_Immigrants.html
(This is for those complaining about how many resources illegals consume. Our native-born, government support-reliant Americans should be advocating for them to stay, it seems, as the illegals are contributing to SSA and Medicare but will never benefit. (One of the articles, from the NY Times,reported that “other-than-legal immigrants” generate $6 billion to $7 billion in Social Security tax revenue and about $1.5 billion in Medicare taxes each year.).
Equality Advocate
August 27th, 2011
11:01 am
@NewMinority. Yup. No photos. Especially since a lot of applications nowadays are sent online. Schools don’t have “quotas” for acceptance of a certain number of minorities either nor do they offer any scholarships based on race or ethnicity, for that would violate federal law.
There may be private foundations that offer such scholarships but checking the applicants’ accuracy is their problem, not the schools’.
Be accurate here–Elmhurst is only asking applicants to indicate their orientation voluntarily, with one option “No Answer.” Nothing anywhere abt. a tuition discount based on diversity.
Equality Advocate
August 27th, 2011
11:20 am
@ NewMinority. Not to belabor this….There is indeed no way of checking whether a person who self-identifies as belonging to a minority is being truthful, and that’s probably why schools–private or public– don’t have such “quotas.” What does “white” or “black” mean when the person has a great-great grandparent who derives from Africa? The federal census allows the person to identify with one group or the other, and declare as such. “Hispanic/Latino” has been defined by the census as an ethnicity, not a race; so a person can be a white Hispanic or a black Hispanic (consider Cuba, which has both).
If you check Elmhurst College, their financial aid is need- or merit-based. Why are you jumping to the conclusion that it’s minority-based???
Really amazed
August 27th, 2011
12:38 pm
@Equaility Advocate, what rock have you been under???? Of course they don’t let the public know about the quota!! This would be illegal! Kinda like th aps cheating scandal. Illegal, but welcome to our gov’t !!! Please, wake up people!
Equality Advocate
August 27th, 2011
12:59 pm
@ Really Amazed. No way of answering the paranoid conspiracy buff, is there? However, what DO you do about the issue of minority applicants self-identifying? Schools are sure aware of this problem. If they do have racial/ethnic/sexual orientation quotas, it will be very hard to prove when the quotas are filled!
Schools do allot a certain # of “points” for the different categories an applicant fulfills, but there are many categories besides minorities. And the legal category now of “biracial” that’s used really confuses things, as well as Hispanic ethnicity which may be combined with any race according to the federal census.
soccermom
August 27th, 2011
1:47 pm
@slp98 who said “Forsyth Mom- maybe you should have saved for her college expenses? Or were you expecting one of those liberal goverment handouts (i.e., HOPE) to pay for college?”
Apparently people of your ilk can’t wrap their brains around the fact that HOPE is not a government entitlement program. It is not funded by taxes.
There are many families who figured HOPE into their calculations and then the GA. government changed the terms of the agreement.
Forsyth County Mom
August 27th, 2011
1:59 pm
slp98
August 26th, 2011
12:16 am
Forsyth Mom- maybe you should have saved for her college expenses? Or were you expecting one of those liberal goverment handouts (i.e., HOPE) to pay for college?
Sip- I would LOVE to have saved to help my daughter pay for college, however, that’s kinda hard to do when you’re trying to support 2 kids while living on only Disability. I am not one of those “soccer moms” in Cumming who lives in a large house, with a big SUV in the driveway and Flat-screen TVs. On the contrary, I am a single mom (I threw out my husband of 22 years after he decided that he didn’t want to work any more) of 2 daughters, one in college and the other in 6th grade. We live in a tiny house (rented) and the only reason I drive a mini van is because it’s the only vehicle big enough for my wheelchair. However, it is paid for. Our newest television is at least 6 years old, computer is 4 years old, my daughter is on free lunch and we receive food stamps. I don’t sit around spending wildly while expecting HOPE to educate my children, but when the choice is to “save it for college” or keep the lights on, I think the choice is clear. So now my oldest will be in debt for years and she’ll have to deal with it because she is motivated to do something with herself, but it still angers me that these clowns are giving it away for free to those who are in every way ineligible to attend UGA because they’re here ILLEGALLY.
bootney farnsworth
August 27th, 2011
3:00 pm
when Mexico starts educating our kids for free, get back to me.
’til then…
Forsyth County Mom
August 27th, 2011
3:53 pm
Nope, redweather, I am an Independent with a brain and thought that up all by myself!
Forsyth County Mom
August 27th, 2011
3:56 pm
Forsyth Mom- maybe you should have saved for her college expenses? Or were you expecting one of those liberal goverment handouts (i.e., HOPE) to pay for college?
Sip- I would LOVE to have saved to help my daughter pay for college, however, that’s kinda hard to do when you’re trying to support 2 kids while living on only Disability. I am not one of those “soccer moms” in Cumming who lives in a large house, with a big SUV in the driveway and Flat-screen TVs. On the contrary, I am a single mom (I threw out my husband of 22 years after he decided that he didn’t want to work any more) of 2 daughters, one in college and the other in 6th grade. We live in a tiny house (rented) and the only reason I drive a mini van is because it’s the only vehicle big enough for my wheelchair. However, it is paid for. Our newest television is at least 6 years old, computer is 4 years old, my daughter is on free lunch and we receive food stamps. I don’t sit around spending wildly while expecting HOPE to educate my children, but when the choice is to “save it for college” or keep the lights on, I think the choice is clear. So now my oldest will be in debt for years and she’ll have to deal with it because she is motivated to do something with herself, but it still angers me that these clowns are giving it away for free to those who are in every way ineligible to attend UGA because they’re here ILLEGALLY.
teacher
August 28th, 2011
4:40 pm
This is absurd.
The key word once again is illegal. Millions of legit students cannot get an education and these kids do. This is the problem with liberals-they exclude someone else, in this case, other minorities.
Vox Populi
August 29th, 2011
3:27 pm
Ah…yes…”Freedom University”…
…freedom from obeying our laws…freedom from speaking our language…freedom to drink & drive.
Oh, well, these felons in training will soon be deported….along with their scofflaws parents.
LEGAL Immigrant
August 30th, 2011
9:12 am
Question for all of you “schooled” and “learned” people:
Which part of “ILLEGAL” didn’t you understand?
mum
August 30th, 2011
12:51 pm
Charity seems to be something that people need to approve of to make it so these days. The government has a history of allowing people with money to come to this country legally, so do you find it ok to people to in essence “buy” their residency? You want cheap produce, cheap lawn care, cheap constructions but you refuse to give residency to the people who provide you that luxury.
Educating these kids at least gives them a leg-up on their future, even if they go elsewhere with that education. Would you rather they get work with the drug dealers along the boarder and bring that mess into your communities? You can’t deport all of them, plus I’m sure none of you would want to spend billion doing that givent he state the country is in, so it makes sense to find a solution.
Reality Check
August 30th, 2011
7:09 pm
@ mum,
“You can’t deport all of them”
Why do we always begin with this assumption? I think we absolutely could provide bus transportation back to the home country which could be paid for by donations. I would donate; we just need to designate a place to send the money and publicize it.
Theresa
August 31st, 2011
10:35 pm
Excuse me, folks. Last I checked, as an educator (on any level) I can teach whomever I chose, under whatever conditions I choose, outside of my state contract. No crime there. No pandering, either. Just the opportunity to share knowledge with someone who would actually appreciate the exchange. Unlike my contractually obligated students.
Brian
September 1st, 2011
12:36 am
amazon wishlist
http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html?ie=UTF8&type=wishlist&id=21LHAU4LKNVV5
Ole Guy
September 1st, 2011
9:22 pm
Reality Check, I am not too sure your comments are in line with your nom du plume…they make little/no sense. You think that by donating to the “bus ticket fund”, we can simply ship em back and that will be that? I don’t know if that’s incredulous, mystifying, or simply stupid!
The ONLY way to correct unfavorable conduct is to make the consequence for unfavorable conduct MORE unfavorable than the conduct itself. If it was up to me (and I believe a few Mid-West sheriffs have instituted similar programs), I’d put up a mass of GP-50s (Army speak for big ole tent) in the desert, pile up a few thousand litters of water (just like in the Mid East areas of operation), surround the entire ensemble with razor wire, and let those who chose to enter illegally “vacation” for a few months. At the end of their terms, they would all haul a _ _ to the southern shores of the RIO G.