I was awaken by the sound of rain hitting the roof this morning. It doesn't get any better than that.
In answer to Mum, my rain barrels did fill, sort of. One more than the other. I have some design issues to resolve.
On to my rant of the day.
We have a major controversy developing in the small border town of Douglas, Arizona.
Douglas, AZ. and Agua Prieta, Mexico, are basically one metro area, split by the international border. However, for the residents of both communities, the international border is a technicality. People cross back and forth everyday for work, shooping and family matters.
The growing controversy is that a charter school in Douglas, financed by the Arizona taxpayers, is suspected of enrolling about fifty kids from Agua Prieta. The Department of Education authorities have a video tape purported to show van loads of Mexican children being driven across the border to attend the school.
The headmaster of the Douglas school has invoked the much used, "liar, liar, pants on fire", defense. He says he has done everything according to the book. Besides, due to a loophole in state law, charter schools are not required to make students prove residency. Only public schools have to do that.
The only reason this matters to me is that Arizona school authorities are demanding that the legislature close this loop hole, asap. Plus, the usual citizen suspects are out of their minds angry over this.
This is all a tempest in a teapot because, even though public school students are required to establish valid residency, the schools cannot ask about their legal status. All they can do is make sure the student lists a valid address for attendance purposes. As we all know, anyone can rent an apartment.
Arizona has three border towns that are contiguous with Mexican counterparts; Nogales, Douglas and Yuma. Virtually every kid living south of the border, has relatives who live legally just north of the border. It has long been a practice for Mexican kids to attend U.S. schools by listing the U.S. addresses of their U.S. relatives.
The children who cross into Douglas to attend school will not be deterred by a border crackdown. They will just go to live with their Douglas relatives during the week.
It seems to me that we have really big problems, but a few hundred Mexican kids attending school in the U.S. isn't among them. If the government wants to make all students, in all schools to prove that they are here legally, so be it. But we have neither the will nor the way to do it, so what's the point?
Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky
May 22, 2009
A fascinating photo of the inside of my rain barrel. That object in the middle is my reflection.
I was awaken by the sound of rain hitting the roof this morning. It doesn't get any better than that.
In answer to Mum, my rain barrels did fill, sort of. One more than the other. I have some design issues to resolve.
On to my rant of the day.
We have a major controversy developing in the small border town of Douglas, Arizona.
Douglas, AZ. and Agua Prieta, Mexico, are basically one metro area, split by the international border. However, for the residents of both communities, the international border is a technicality. People cross back and forth everyday for work, shooping and family matters.
The growing controversy is that a charter school in Douglas, financed by the Arizona taxpayers, is suspected of enrolling about fifty kids from Agua Prieta. The Department of Education authorities have a video tape purported to show van loads of Mexican children being driven across the border to attend the school.
The headmaster of the Douglas school has invoked the much used, "liar, liar, pants on fire", defense. He says he has done everything according to the book. Besides, due to a loophole in state law, charter schools are not required to make students prove residency. Only public schools have to do that.
The only reason this matters to me is that Arizona school authorities are demanding that the legislature close this loop hole, asap. Plus, the usual citizen suspects are out of their minds angry over this.
This is all a tempest in a teapot because, even though public school students are required to establish valid residency, the schools cannot ask about their legal status. All they can do is make sure the student lists a valid address for attendance purposes. As we all know, anyone can rent an apartment.
Arizona has three border towns that are contiguous with Mexican counterparts; Nogales, Douglas and Yuma. Virtually every kid living south of the border, has relatives who live legally just north of the border. It has long been a practice for Mexican kids to attend U.S. schools by listing the U.S. addresses of their U.S. relatives.
The children who cross into Douglas to attend school will not be deterred by a border crackdown. They will just go to live with their Douglas relatives during the week.
It seems to me that we have really big problems, but a few hundred Mexican kids attending school in the U.S. isn't among them. If the government wants to make all students, in all schools to prove that they are here legally, so be it. But we have neither the will nor the way to do it, so what's the point?
Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky
I was awaken by the sound of rain hitting the roof this morning. It doesn't get any better than that.
In answer to Mum, my rain barrels did fill, sort of. One more than the other. I have some design issues to resolve.
On to my rant of the day.
We have a major controversy developing in the small border town of Douglas, Arizona.
Douglas, AZ. and Agua Prieta, Mexico, are basically one metro area, split by the international border. However, for the residents of both communities, the international border is a technicality. People cross back and forth everyday for work, shooping and family matters.
The growing controversy is that a charter school in Douglas, financed by the Arizona taxpayers, is suspected of enrolling about fifty kids from Agua Prieta. The Department of Education authorities have a video tape purported to show van loads of Mexican children being driven across the border to attend the school.
The headmaster of the Douglas school has invoked the much used, "liar, liar, pants on fire", defense. He says he has done everything according to the book. Besides, due to a loophole in state law, charter schools are not required to make students prove residency. Only public schools have to do that.
The only reason this matters to me is that Arizona school authorities are demanding that the legislature close this loop hole, asap. Plus, the usual citizen suspects are out of their minds angry over this.
This is all a tempest in a teapot because, even though public school students are required to establish valid residency, the schools cannot ask about their legal status. All they can do is make sure the student lists a valid address for attendance purposes. As we all know, anyone can rent an apartment.
Arizona has three border towns that are contiguous with Mexican counterparts; Nogales, Douglas and Yuma. Virtually every kid living south of the border, has relatives who live legally just north of the border. It has long been a practice for Mexican kids to attend U.S. schools by listing the U.S. addresses of their U.S. relatives.
The children who cross into Douglas to attend school will not be deterred by a border crackdown. They will just go to live with their Douglas relatives during the week.
It seems to me that we have really big problems, but a few hundred Mexican kids attending school in the U.S. isn't among them. If the government wants to make all students, in all schools to prove that they are here legally, so be it. But we have neither the will nor the way to do it, so what's the point?
Things in this blog represented to be fact, may or may not actually be true. The writer is frequently wrong, sometimes just full of it, but always judgmental and cranky
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12 comments:
So what side are you on?
agua prieta means dark water. But yours is pretty clara, and a welcome sight, I'm sure. The sound of rain on the roof must have been welcome too.
Re: the schoolchildren. We have the same kind of non-issues getting raised over here when 'illegal residents' send their children to school ... and the schools don't ask questions. In some towns, police were instructed to 'stake out' the schools to catch the illegal residents when they came to pick up their children at the end of the school day. Some ugly scenes ensued, of old grandfathers getting beaten up in front of terrified six year olds.
The situation you describe will always exist in border areas, everywhere in the world. The main point is: The children are learning,and the teachers are teaching. No?
Looking forward to pictures of greenery with all that rain. Have a great weekend.
May you have the rain that you wish for this summer and some cool breezes. Regarding education, I think anyone who shows up at a school wanting to learn should be helped. Turning our backs on certain groups is just wrong.
It's the principal of the matter. America is about yelling out every one of your anxieties before thinking about them. At least that's what it's about now.
glad you are getting rain and relief from the high temperatures!
kudos on the rain barrels in your neck of the woods it seems like they should be required additions.
seems like you got off jury duty since you were playing golf!!
65 not 85....sounds like your weatherpeople are as good as ours!
Kim--I did get excused from jury duty. They make you call the day before and a recording tells you whether or not to report as scheduled. I was excused.
I'm jealous of your rain barrels. I might just get me some. It would be great for watering the garden. I bet Dad would jump right on the idea.
I'm glad you got some rain and sad to hear that, once again, people are investing lots of energy into fear and prejudice. If we could redirect this energy to more positive acts, this world would be a much nicer place.
National borders always cause problems.
I'm ready for some rain.
Good rant. I agree with you.
I say if they are clever enough to figure out how to get to school, let them come. In fact, let them take the places of 50 spoiled US citizens who don't want to be in school!
thanks for letting me know, I was curious!
If we had all schools asking students to prove residency, we'd have vast numbers of kids living in the United States illegally and not attending school -- which makes everyone's problems worse.
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