Posted on 12/16/2003 3:03:51 AM PST by TaxPayer2000
FITCHBURG -- Several hundred, mostly Latino people, filled the auditorium at Academy Middle School Saturday to hear about pending laws that could help immigrant children go to college.
The Twin Cities Working Coalition for Latino Students organized the community meeting, which was held in Spanish and English.
State Sen. Robert Antonioni told the crowd about a bill in the Statehouse that would allow students who spend at least three years in a Massachusetts school and graduate in the state to pay in-state tuition at state colleges, even if they don't have immigration documentation.
"These students should be treated like everyone else, otherwise it's prejudicial," he said.
Antonioni's parents were the children of Italian and Canadian immigrants and went to college, he said.
"Most of you didn't come to this country from Italy or Canada, but your children deserve the same opportunities my parents and my aunts and uncles had," he said.
The bill is in the Joint Committee of Education, Art and Humanities, which Antonioni chairs, he said. Members will send it out with their recommendation next week, he said.
"Hopefully Gov. Romney will sign this bill," he said.
There are a similar bills on the federal level, Leominster schools Language Acquisition Director Sergio Paez told the crowd.
The Dream Act and the Student Adjustment Act would help immigrant students get permanent legal status in the United States after spending five years in and graduating from U.S. high schools, Paez said.
"Part of the reason we come here is to have a better future for our children," he said in Spanish.
Representatives from Sen. John Kerry's, Congressmen John Olver's, Marty Meehan's and James McGovern's and offices told the crowd the politicians support the bills.
"This bill will help those who come to our country fulfill their dreams without the fear of being asked to leave," said McGovern staffer Gladys Rodriguez-Parker, reading from Sen. Kerry's statement.
Kerry is a supporter of the Dream Act, Rodriguez-Parker said.
"I look forward to the day when it's signed into law," she read from Kerry's statement.
It's not prejudicial, you freaking moron, it's judicial! These people are illegal. As in "not legal." Is it prejudicial to keep convicted felons locked up? "Gee, you're not letting John Wayne Gacy go the mall. That's not faiiiirrr." Yeccch!
The truth hurts, politicians find it's best if ignored.
"Most of you didn't come to this country from Italy or Canada, but your children deserve the same opportunities my parents and my aunts and uncles had," he said.
It's nice how he conveniently leaves out the fact that they probably came here legally. Pander...pander...pander. Is this only way they can get votes? Can't any of these sleazeball politicians take a look around and see what this issue will bring in the future?
I can't stand it anymore.
May the illegals never withdraw their favor from us, pretty please. We are lost without them.
I cannot stand this anymore.
We homeschool and many do not have financial means for our kids to go to college, even city colleges have gotten to costly. This is total bs!
American taxpayers didn't have to foot the bill for your parents, aunts, and uncles to go to college, sir. Therein lies the difference between the "this is a land of immigrants" argument and today's problems with illegals.
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