Quote:
Originally Posted by dga
This isn't a solution, this is passing the buck.
"Opponents of the rules say they have had a chilling effect on Prince William's once-thriving Latino community, prompting even legal immigrants to flee a hostile environment. "
According to the most recent census, 15% of the population is Hispanic, but less than 5% is illegal. It is shameful when policies that promote "hostile environments" that would make that 10% feel persecuted is applauded. If you wanted to save money, a better solution would be to simply cut ESL classes altogether. Children would assimilate faster, and they don't really need them.
FYI, Northeastern states (i.e. my neck of the woods) have had legal residency requirements for drivers licenses for YEARS now. States that do not do so are in the minority (not the majority).
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I don't remember a big Hispanic population when I lived there (for a short time). Most of the people were from everywhere and a lot of them worked for government agencies. Other than that there were a lot of folks from West Virginia who drove in to work there.
And I don't think anyone is persecuted with this law. Prince William county provides a lot of services our children and adults around the country would like to have. If you live there you can enroll in free (payed for by your taxes) college courses in introduction to computers, almost any language you want to learn, and more. Also they have programs that identify advanced and remedial status students and arrange for children to go to classes in what they are ahead or behind in and still remain with their peers most of the day. Every child is allowed to ride the bus even if they live within two miles of the school (unless that has changed since the eighties). All in all it appears a very inclusive (almost too much?) society of people.
I don't know why on earth legal residents would be intimidated.
Show me your papers, Mam. Not a difficult assignment!
After all when I think of all the paperwork I had to show in order to enroll my children in a school for the first time and when they advanced to another location, I don't feel sorry for anyone who has to pull out documents for themselves and their little ones. Just goes with the territory.