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Trustee would bill Mexico for educating illegal immigrants
SCHOOLS: Anaheim Union school board will hear the plan tonight.
May 27, 1999
By FELIX SANCHEZ
The Orange County RegisterANAHEIM -- Trustee Harald Martin says he has solid support for his bid tonight to have the Anaheim Union High School District bill Mexico for the cost of educating illegal immigrants.
But an Orange County Hispanic-rights group thinks Martin's bid is solidly misguided.
"It's laughable. We've decided he is so outrageous and so much of a racist, we will not dignify those outrageous comments," said Amin David, president of Los Amigos of Orange County. Martin plans to introduce a resolution asking the Mexican government to pay $50 million for educating Mexican nationals and the children of Mexican nationals who were illegally in the United States within the past 10 years.
It also will ask for $10 million yearly to pay for the continued education of illegal immigrants.
Since publicity about his resolution broke last week, Martin says he has received more than 50 phone calls and letters of support from Orange County residents. Only one person against it called, telling Martin he was a racist.
Martin concedes the resolution may be just symbolic, and actually getting the cash would be difficult. "But I'm hoping that symbolism will turn into discussion. The fact is, we might have a case," Martin said.
"All I can tell you is that people are overwhelmingly in favor of it," Martin said.
He also wants to be able to find out how many illegal immigrant children are in the district. "Do we have 4,000 kids, or 1,000 kids? What is it? That's the problem," Martin said.
By law the district cannot ask students if they are illegal immigrants. Prop. 187, the California measure that has been declared unconstitutional and is on appeal, had called for eliminating public education for undocumented children.
Benny Hernandez, a former Anaheim City School District trustee, plans to address the board at its meeting to voice his opposition. "The district is not losing any money. It isn't an issue," said Hernandez, who now teaches in Santa Ana.
"I am against illegal immigration, but it's not our responsibility to identify (undocumented children)," Hernandez said. "We have a responsibility to teach that child. Prop. 187 is not a law yet."
The school board will meet at 7:30 p.m. at district offices, 501 Crescent Way in Anaheim.
CLICK HERE FOR MAP OF MEETING LOCATION
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