"Are You Legal or Illegal?"
Yes, State Superintendent Randy Dorn, visiting Raisbeck Aviation High School this week, said to a student, "Now I'll ask you under my breath, are you legal or illegal?" after the student said he had gone to school in Mexico for part of his schooling.
Superintendent Dorn is not a bad guy and, according to the Times article, Ricardo Sanchez, a member of the Washington State Commission on Hispanic affairs, says Dorn has worked to help get financial aid for undocumented students seeking higher education.
But really, kind of tone-deaf (and it came out worse because he chuckled as he said it.) Dorn has sought out the student to apologize.
There was another interesting story this week regarding undocumented students and high school graduation. From the New York Times, "2 Valedictorians in Texas Declare Undocumented Status, and Outrage Ensues."
Texas, not exactly known for great public education, has this on its side:When Mayte Lara Ibarra, the valedictorian of her high school’s graduating class, revealed her plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin on a scholarship, she did what any graduate would do: She shared her excitement on social media.Ms. Ibarra also declared, proudly, that she is undocumented.“Valedictorian, 4.5GPA, full tuition paid for at UT, 13 cords/medals, nice legs, oh and I’m undocumented,” Ms. Ibarrawrote in a tweet posted last week, hours after she gave her valedictory speech to fellow graduates at David Crockett High School in Austin.
Gary Susswein, a spokesman for the University of Texas, said that federal law prevented him from discussing the cases of individual students, but he offered a statement that said that the university grants two-semester tuition waivers to all valedictorians of Texas public high schools regardless of their residency status.“State law also does not distinguish between documented and undocumented graduates of Texas high schools in admissions Seattle Schools Community Forum: "Are You Legal or Illegal?":
