THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN HERE
Public schools have always had pretty strict rules for both families and staff. When kindergarteners start school, they have to show proof of immunizations. Adults working with students in any capacity must submit to a background check. In many parts of the country, metal detectors greet students and staff before entering the building as precaution. Most recently, many schools mandated COVID immunizations for staff to continue working with young people. All of these elements have been instituted to ensure the "safety" of children.
These protections are afforded to the schools by the cities and school districts. Local governments and districts mandate the amount of funding, resources and support each building gets, as long as these expectations are met. In turn, these schools are expected to educate every student who walks through the doors....every young person. Federal laws have widened the definition of "student" to be any young person within an age range to attend school, whether they are a natural born citizen of this country, or an illegal immigrant. Children are able to attend school regardless of their status as a citizen. As long as they are able to work hard and overcome the obstacles they face, they are welcome and the state expects schools to help them. The numbers of migrants students in the Denver school system specifically has caused a hardship and many officials are getting nervous. Denver Public Schools alone is facing a $17.5 million shortage as a result of the influx of immigrant families that are flooding into that district and it is only going to get worse.
These protections are afforded to the schools by the cities and school districts. Local governments and districts mandate the amount of funding, resources and support each building gets, as long as these expectations are met. In turn, these schools are expected to educate every student who walks through the doors....every young person. Federal laws have widened the definition of "student" to be any young person within an age range to attend school, whether they are a natural born citizen of this country, or an illegal immigrant. Children are able to attend school regardless of their status as a citizen. As long as they are able to work hard and overcome the obstacles they face, they are welcome and the state expects schools to help them. The numbers of migrants students in the Denver school system specifically has caused a hardship and many officials are getting nervous. Denver Public Schools alone is facing a $17.5 million shortage as a result of the influx of immigrant families that are flooding into that district and it is only going to get worse.
However, that is not the biggest issue that the public school system is facing. The most recent development in the sanctuary city of New York should be cause for concern. The state has been flooded with so many illegal immigrants, that they are running out of places to house them. Some are squatting in tents, and some, are taking up temporary residence in a gymnasium of a school. This issue came to light a couple weeks ago when a huge snow storm hit the east coast and students of James Madison High School were informed that they would have to have school online from home because the Mayor, Eric Adams, had mandated these immigrants could stay at the school to weather the storm.
Eric Adams defended his decision after parents protested, and they were not impressed with his decision to allow school to be canceled in order to house non-taxpaying people. One parent named Alina, who didn't share her last name, said she was "very angry" that the city "put our children last" and were instead "prioritizing the migrants." Rightfully so, however, it was just for one night and the migrants were moved back to the park after the storm passed. It was however, an inconvenience on many levels, but mostly for parents who needed to shuffle for childcare when children were at home. |
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Many viewers were appalled to hear that American citizens were displaced from their own schools in order to house migrants. However, it came to light AFTER that incident last month, that there were schools throughout the boroughs of New York that had been housing migrants in a large handful of public schools for months! Mayor Eric Adams has utilized several high school gyms as permanent shelters for migrants and asylum seekers. Parents from several schools in the Bronx have been protesting this surge of illegals that are getting better treatment than their students.
Imagine having your students attend a school where complete strangers, many adults are staying on campus. Your child does not have gym class, access to the athletics complex for sports, or the ability to utilize areas of campus in order to remain separate from these displaced persons. The close proximity of unvetted, possibly dangerous people should be alarming to every parent in every sanctuary city. |
But that could never happen here. If it did, it would just be in Denver. There are already large numbers of immigrants being bused here from the southern border in large droves. The mayor of Denver is already requiring that police and fire departments cut their budgets for emergency services to house migrants and homeless across the the city. Can we be assured that the ills of town are not going to be forced on us? Will school boards and parents along the Eastern Plains be able to stand up to our mayor if this chaos hit our front porch? If things get bad enough, it won't just be Denver and Aurora who may have to force us to utilize these public school buildings for more than just educational purposes.
Citizens of Adams County and Arapahoe County need to get involved now. Parents should plan on attending city planning meetings, school board meetings and discussing the issue of incoming migrants and transplants from the city to our small towns. We are lucky that Abbott is not sending bus loads of immigrants to the Eastern Plains, but as the stress of the city gets worse, we may be inheriting those problems.
There needs to be a plan now to deal with growth, as well as a solution to the problem because we don't want to be another location that was overwhelmed by the crisis at the border unprepared.
Here's your chance to have your voice heard:
Bennett School Board - third Thursday of each month @ 6 pm Bennett HS V-Net Room #C106
Strasburg School Board - second Tuesday of each month @ 6 pm Strasburg Live Board
Byers School Board - third Thursday of each month @ 7 pm Byers Live Board Meeting
Deer Trail School Board - first Monday of each month @ 7 pm Deer Trail HS
Citizens of Adams County and Arapahoe County need to get involved now. Parents should plan on attending city planning meetings, school board meetings and discussing the issue of incoming migrants and transplants from the city to our small towns. We are lucky that Abbott is not sending bus loads of immigrants to the Eastern Plains, but as the stress of the city gets worse, we may be inheriting those problems.
There needs to be a plan now to deal with growth, as well as a solution to the problem because we don't want to be another location that was overwhelmed by the crisis at the border unprepared.
Here's your chance to have your voice heard:
Bennett School Board - third Thursday of each month @ 6 pm Bennett HS V-Net Room #C106
Strasburg School Board - second Tuesday of each month @ 6 pm Strasburg Live Board
Byers School Board - third Thursday of each month @ 7 pm Byers Live Board Meeting
Deer Trail School Board - first Monday of each month @ 7 pm Deer Trail HS
Getting involved locally:
There are many different ways that citizens can get involved in the educational process. Schools are asking for participation in many different ways. The schools along the corridor have made school board meetings readily available for the public to watch and participate in. Together, we can contribute time and attention to our young people. Below is a list of opportunities:
-Attend a board meeting (virtual): Bennett, Strasburg, Byers, Deer Trail
-Run for school board positions
-Write your local superintendent
-Attend a board meeting (virtual): Bennett, Strasburg, Byers, Deer Trail
-Run for school board positions
-Write your local superintendent
- Bennett * Mrs. Robin Purdy
- Strasburg * Mr. Dan Hoff
- Byers * Mr. Tom Turrell
- Deer Trail * Mr. BJ Buchmann