Posted on 11/03/2011 4:38:53 AM PDT by RobertoinAL
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -
The State Department of Education is advising school superintendents to hold off on providing enrollment data to the U.S. Department of Justice. The DOJ had requested Alabama school superintendents provide a list of all students who had withdrawn from schools since the beginning of the school year.
Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez sent a letter to Alabama school systems wanting to know how many Hispanic students are enrolled in schools and how many have withdrawn since the beginning of the school year. Educators reported the new law caused many Hispanic students to stay home in the days immediately after it took effect.
The Eleventh Circuit of U.S. Court of Appeals later put on hold a portion of the law requiring schools to report the number of students whose immigration status is in question. So school systems stopped asking about status.
Now in response to the latest request from the DOJ, the state's interim School Superintendent Larry Craven told systems to hold off on releasing the data to the federal government. He referred to concerns from State Attorney General Luther Strange.
"I was perplexed and troubled to learn that you have personally written to Alabama's school superintendents demanding information related to the pending litigation," Strange wrote in a letter to Perez. "Your letter does not state your legal authority to demand the information or compel its production."
Strange gave Perez until Friday to respond. Otherwise, it appears, he will advise the schools not to hand over the data. The state's response came on the same day that the state released the number of Hispanic students in each school system.
Compared to last year, enrollment of Hispanics in Autauga County increased from 186 students in the 2010-2011 school year to 192 in the current year. The number declined in Elmore County from 307 to 258. But the number of Hispanic students increased sharply in Montgomery County from 884 to 1237.
We shouldn’t even dignify Eric “My People” Holder with a response.
We Alabamians need to be watchful of this DOJ...they might start providing semi-automatic firearms to the illegal aliens.
And ROLL TIDE!!!
The schools expenses would probably go down more than that if they didn't have to teach feed these illegal kids.
(But don't quote me - I may never work again!)
Sent my first-born down to your wonderful state (from Michigan) to attend the University of Alabama this fall. What a cool place! He’s bouncing off the walls this week in anticipation of a win over LSU. ROLL TIDE!
Kudos to Alabama!
Your post may be rhetorical but that is the exact method used by this DOJ when they are challenged - goose, gander, etc.
Hold firm Bama!
William, I thought AG Strange had a very precise and curt response to the commies in the DOJ.
I hope every state is watching what Holder does. I’m wondering when the commies at DOJ will be prosecuted.
Oh, and ROLL TIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just trying to live within the confines of the Constitution.
Once you take those federal dollars, you then become the federal government’s Btch.
I am so proud of the way Strange and the Bentley Admin are standing up to the DOJ and DC bullying.
THis is quickly becoming a huge States Rights issue, and I am excited to see Alabama leading the way.
Oh, and of course, ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!
Stand strong Alabama.
The federal dept. of education should be abolished. It’s un-constitutional, and just look at the mess our education system is in today. Education unions must GO!
The governor of Alabama needs to get on TV and tell Holder “No, no, and HELL NO!” to this request.
The DOJ wanted the names of EVERY student in AL, and the names of those withdrawn.
That is an unreasonable request for production of documents, and it is an invasion of privacy.
Alabama should just continue to say no. What is the DOJ going to do?
It is time for some good old American defiance in the face of tyranny.
Even if a Federal judge says to do so, just say no.
And enforce the law as passed. The State has a right to protect itself, especially when the Federal government refuses to do so.
Yep. You’d think some had never heard of federalism or the Tenth Amendment.
Me too, Commish. We have to bring back States Rights.
If the Feds want a war, come on down to Alabama. We detest the Federal Government.
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