School board votes to fire high school teacher who reported undocumented immigrant students to President Trump

Yahoo Lifestyle Elise Solé,Yahoo Lifestyle 6 hours ago



06/05/2019 UPDATE: The Fort Worth Independent School District in Texas has voted 8-0 to fire teacher Georgia Clark for reporting undocumented students to President Trump via Twitter.

The district tweeted the results of the unanimous vote on Tuesday.

The former Carter-Riverside employee can reportedly try to appeal the decision with the state.

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Georgia Clark, a Texas high school teacher, reported her undocumented students to President Donald Trump, telling him to, “Drain the swamp.”

Viral Twitter screenshots from a person named Clark using the deleted handle @Rebecca1939 pleaded with the president to deal with the population of undocumented students at Carter-Riverside High School in Fort Worth.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which reportedly validated the tweets, an English and language arts teacher named Georgia Clark works at the school.

Last week, one tweet said, “Mr. President, I asked for assistance in reporting illegal immigrants in the FWISD public school system and what I received was an alarming tweet from someone identifying himself as one of your assistants followed by a second tweet from the same person.”

“Mr. President, Forth Worth Independent School District is loaded with illegal immigrants from Mexico,” states Clark’s May 17th tweet. “Carter-Riverside High School has been taken over by them. Drug dealers are on our campus and nothing was done to them when the drug dogs found the evidence.”



Another one from Clark: “I do not know what to do. Anything you can do to remove the illegals from Fort Worth would be greatly appreciated.”

Clark allegedly tweeted in March, “My prayers were answered. Drain that swamp and the sooner the better.”

Clint Bond, a communications executive at the district, tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “We have placed the teacher on administrative leave (with pay) and the district continues to review its options in this matter.” Bond did not confirm whether Clark herself had written the tweets.

The teacher included two phone numbers in her tweet to the president, none of which were working when Yahoo Lifestyle called for comment. A third listed number for Clark had been changed.

A former teacher in the district, who did not want to be identified tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “I’m shocked. I worked at a high school in Fort Worth with a very high percentage of undocumented students. These kids worked very hard to create a better life here for themselves, many of mine obtaining scholarships at university for engineering, business, and medical degrees. I am disheartened to hear an educator would use their position as a political platform to promote hate and discrimination especially in a manor we as educators are trying to curb, social media. It can be such a divisive and harmful means of spreading hateful discrimination. It makes me extremely uncomfortable. I love my students, not because of who they are or where they were born, but because of who they have become.”

A spokesperson for the Fort Worth Independent School District shared a voicemail and an email message from superintendent Kent P. Scribner, with Yahoo Lifestyle. “In the past 24 hours, there has been much talk in the news and on the Internet about the use of social media by our staff,” said Scribner. “Our mission is to prepare ALL students for success in college, career and community leadership. Let me reiterate our commitment that every child in the District is welcome and is to be treated with dignity and respect. As we conclude the school year this Friday, please know we take this promise very seriously and your child’s safety and well-being are always our number-one priority. Thank you.”

Actually there are over 3.5 million teachers in the United States between grades K-12. But your point still stands.

I think some people confuse law and ethics. Laws are a set of rules and regulations that are set by those in authority. There are consequences and penalties for those that break the laws. Some laws are designed to protect people and others are designed to protect those who own the authority and suppress those beneath them.

On the other hand, ethics are a guide for people and society about what is good or bad, and right or wrong. It molds one's behavior and how we treat others. Ethics helps us to live a good and honorable life, by following sound moral decisions.

I am not a law-breaking man, but I'm more than that. I place ethics that are driven by sound moral character far above the rules and regulations set by those in power.

I didn't know those teachers witnessed those children crossing the border.

What evidence do they have that they are here illegally? It sounds like you're saying point the finger at anyone you feel is suspect of anything.

The teacher must have known to report. If they do not know then there is nothing to report. But once they know for sure they are obligated to report criminal activity.

We need more every day Americans like this teacher upholding the rule of law. Every person who is here illegally is breaking federal law and should be deported immediately, sick of it.

You forget that teachers tend to be Liberals and Liberals tend to think the law is what they decide it is, not what it actually is.

Witness Sanctuary Cities.
Pot use.
Hiding illegals from law enforcement.
Open Borders.

It appears a very high percentage of the 6400 responders to the article agree with the teacher:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/high-sch...-000931219.html

I think some people confuse law and ethics. Laws are a set of rules and regulations that are set by those in authority. There are consequences and penalties for those that break the laws. Some laws are designed to protect people and others are designed to protect those who own the authority and suppress those beneath them.

On the other hand, ethics are a guide for people and society about what is good or bad, and right or wrong. It molds one's behavior and how we treat others. Ethics helps us to live a good and honorable life, by following sound moral decisions.

I am not a law-breaking man, but I'm more than that. I place ethics that are driven by sound moral character far above the rules and regulations set by those in power.

If they know they are here illegally. They must report the criminal activity. That protects other students.

In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court found in Plyer vs. Doe that because undocumented children are illegally in the United States through no fault of their own, they are entitled to the same K–12 educational opportunities that states provide to children who are citizens or legal residents. For this reason, U.S. public schools may not deny or discourage enrollment to any school-age children, regardless of their immigration status. In addition, such students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, special education services, and school-sponsored events and activities. Federal law does not require school districts or their employees to report undocumented students to immigration authorities. Doing so would constitute a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act if information in a student’s education records is disclosed without consent.

https://www.nassp.org/policy-advocacy-center/nassp-position-statements/undocumented-students/

I'm here.

I didn't know that was the law. We therefore must obey it.

Once again Vers, yours is the Superior.

I love how the same people that are for the inhumane abortion rules

make our students better citizens

as best I can tell she was teaching the kids so she was following the law. Neither you nor I know how she became aware they were illegals so you have no proof she broke any law.

In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court found in Plyer vs. Doe that because undocumented children are illegally in the United States through no fault of their own, they are entitled to the same K–12 educational opportunities that states provide to children who are citizens or legal residents. For this reason, U.S. public schools may not deny or discourage enrollment to any school-age children, regardless of their immigration status. In addition, such students are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, special education services, and school-sponsored events and activities. Federal law does not require school districts or their employees to report undocumented students to immigration authorities. Doing so would constitute a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act if information in a student’s education records is disclosed without consent.

https://www.nassp.org/policy-advocacy-center/nassp-position-statements/undocumented-students/

no, cold, the school teacher thinks that the money hard working Americans give to educate their children should not be siphoned away to educate kids who do not belong here, who are here illegally. it is not unethical to believe we are a nation, with borders, and that we have the right and responsibility to decide who comes here. coming to America is not a right for non citizens. We choose who gets the awesome privilege of coming to America!

Federal law does not require school districts or their employees to report undocumented students to immigration authorities. Doing so would constitute a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act if information in a student’s education records is disclosed without consent.

For this reason, U.S. public schools may not deny or discourage enrollment to any school-age children, regardless of their immigration status.

Federal law does not require school districts or their employees to report undocumented students to immigration authorities.

Doing so would constitute a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act if information in a student’s education records is disclosed without consent.

another what?? Oh, an American citizen who thinks we have a right to control who comes into this country. Do you like to control who comes into your home?? Of course you do. Well this is our home and we should have control over who comes in.

Quote:
Doing so would constitute a violation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act if information in a student’s education records is disclosed without consent.

I'm unsure if this sentence means the teacher isn't allowed to know what is in those records or if they are not allowed to share that information with somebody else... then it comes back to, was she sure they were illegal and if so, how did she come to know that.

My contention is that without anything that shows proof that a child is here illegally it's hearsay and isn't actually evidence at all. Having suspicion isn't the same thing as having evidence. At what point do you hold a teacher accountable for spreading innuendo and gossip around in an attempt to undermine the education of a child/children?

Teachers have access to the records of their students are required by law not to share the information in those records w/anyone else.

That's what I assumed... so we are back to, how did she know (or did she know for sure)...

DC, you are one of the few guys I respect on this forum. So, I think you should back-up and re-read the tweets this women wrote. They appear in the first post. I'm not saying any of that in a mean way. I just think you are a reasonable man.

Then, I think it might be wise to use some common sense. Ask yourself how she found out?

A. She viewed their records.

B. She assumed they were illegal because they spoke Spanish and looked like Mexicans.

C. The illegal aliens confided in her that they were here illegally.

D. Another teacher informed that the students were illegals.

Are any of the answer choices acceptable for her to report them to the office of the President and say things like "Drain the Swamp?"

A former teacher in the district, who did not want to be identified tells Yahoo Lifestyle, “I’m shocked. I worked at a high school in Fort Worth with a very high percentage of undocumented students. These kids worked very hard to create a better life here for themselves, many of mine obtaining scholarships at university for engineering, business, and medical degrees. I am disheartened to hear an educator would use their position as a political platform to promote hate and discrimination especially in a manor we as educators are trying to curb, social media. It can be such a divisive and harmful means of spreading hateful discrimination. It makes me extremely uncomfortable. I love my students, not because of who they are or where they were born, but because of who they have become.”

Can educators call ICE on students? Betsy DeVos finally answers.


Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Tuesday she does not think teachers and principals can call immigration authorities on students, a reversal from comments she made two weeks ago. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)
By Moriah Balingit
June 5, 2018

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday walked back controversial remarks she made to Congress two weeks ago, clarifying in a Senate hearing that she does not think teachers and principals can report students to immigration authorities.

DeVos told the House Committee on Education and the Workforce in late May that schools and local communities can decide whether to alert Immigration and Customs Enforcement about students who might be undocumented.

Her remarks were condemned by civil rights groups, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and more than 100 congressional Democrats, who said educators who call the immigration agency on students would be violating the law. They cautioned that her assertion could confuse educators and ratchet up fear in immigrant communities.

The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 in Plyler v. Doe that the right to a free public education extends to all young people, regardless of immigration status. Federal courts later ruled that compelling teachers to report students to immigration authorities violated the ruling, as did forcing students to disclose their immigration status because it could make students fearful of attending school.
ADVERTISING

[‘Astounding ignorance of the law’: Civil rights groups slam DeVos for saying schools can report undocumented students]

DeVos issued a statement last week that attempted to clarify her remarks, saying “schools are not, and should never become, immigration enforcement zones.” But she was silent on the question of whether teachers and principals were permitted to call immigration authorities.

On Tuesday, DeVos reversed course after a lengthy exchange with Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) during a hearing of a Senate Appropriations subcommittee. Murphy pressed DeVos to clarify her remarks five times before she definitively answered that she did not think that federal law allowed principals or teachers to call ICE on students.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) questions Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday on her immigration comments. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Here’s their exchange:

Murphy: So let me ask a question again, is it okay — you’re the secretary of education, there are a lot of schools that want guidance and want to understand what the law is — is it okay for a teacher or principal to call ICE to report an undocumented student?

DeVos: I think a school is a place for students to be able to learn, and they should be protected there.

Murphy: Is that a — you seem to be very purposefully not giving a yes or no answer, and I think there’s a lot of educators that want to know whether this is permissible.

DeVos: I think educators know in their hearts they need to ensure that students have a safe place to learn.

Murphy: It’s not — why are you so — why are you not answering the question?

DeVos: I think I am answering the question.

Murphy: Well, the question is yes or no. Can a principal call ICE on a student? Is that allowed under federal law?

DeVos: In a school setting, a student has the right to be there and the right to learn. And so everything surrounding that should protect that and enhance that student’s opportunity and that student’s environment.

Murphy: So they can’t call ICE?

DeVos: I don’t think they can.

[‘Your child is safe’: Schools address deportation fears among immigrant families]

Officially, the immigration agency has a policy of avoiding enforcement actions around schools, churches, hospitals and other “sensitive areas.” But civil rights advocates have panned immigration authorities for arresting parents near schools, saying it drives undocumented students and children of undocumented parents away from the classroom.

The Pew Research Center estimates 3.9 million schoolchildren had an unauthorized immigrant parent in 2014 — or 7.3 percent of all schoolchildren. About 725,000 of those children were unauthorized immigrants.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/educ...m=.cbe54ebc0a24

What proof is there that they were selling dope?

Here is what another teacher had to say about that student population:




And that teacher did not break the law. The initial teacher did break the law. Who is more believable? Not really asking you because you won't answer honestly, but putting it out there for those who are fair-minded.

I should have known better than to respond to you again. Hopefully, your work day is almost over and you won't have time to post again today. LOL

I call Trump for everything because he is the law.

Of course I would. Are you really that slow or is it just a ruse?

I would not call the president for such a crime. I would alert my building administrator and have him or her call the police. Selling drugs is against the law and the police can handle it. You don't contact the President of the USA for that!!!

It is also against the law for what she did. I provided ample proof to support that.

And look man.......you little charade is evident. You are trying to deflect from that fact by changing the narrative. Is it 5:00 yet?

Pit, I just have two questions. several people have listed laws applying to what teachers and administrators can do with information they obtain from a student’s file. I have yet to see proof of any part of those laws being violated by this teacher.

Additionally, the United States Supreme Court held in the case of Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982), that a State may not deny access to a basic public education to any child residing in the State, whether present in the United States legally or otherwise. Denying “innocent children” access to a public education, the Court explained, “imposes a lifetime hardship on a discrete class of children not accountable for their disabling status. . . . By denying these children a basic education, we deny them the ability to live within the structure of our civic institutions, and foreclose any realistic possibility that they will contribute in even the smallest way to the progress of our Nation.” Plyler, 457 U.S. at 223. As Plyler makes clear, the undocumented or non-citizen status of a student (or his or her parent or guardian) is irrelevant to that student’s entitlement to an elementary and secondary public education.

To comply with these Federal civil rights laws, as well as the mandates of the Supreme Court, you must ensure that you do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and that students are not barred from enrolling in public schools at the elementary and secondary level on the basis of their own citizenship or immigration status or that of their parents or guardians. Moreover, districts may not request information with the purpose or result of denying access to public schools on the basis of race, color, or national origin. To assist you in meeting these obligations, we provide below some examples of permissible enrollment practices, as well as examples of the types of information that may not be used as a basis for denying a student entrance to school. In order to ensure that its educational services are enjoyed only by residents of the district, a district may require students or their parents to provide proof of residency within the district. See, e.g., Martinez v. Bynum, 461 U.S. 321, 328 (1983).1 For example, a district may require copies of phone and water bills or lease agreements to establish residency. While a district may restrict attendance to district residents, inquiring into students’ citizenship or immigration status, or that of their parents or guardians would not be relevant to establishing residency within the district. A district should review the list of documents that can be used to establish residency and ensure that any required documents would not unlawfully bar or discourage a student who is undocumented or whose parents are undocumented from enrolling in or attending school. As with residency requirements, rules vary among States and districts as to what documents students may use to show they fall within State- or district-mandated minimum and maximum age requirements, and jurisdictions typically accept a variety of documents for this purpose. A school district may not bar a student from enrolling in its schools because he or she lacks a birth certificate or has records that indicate a foreign place of birth, such as a foreign birth certificate.

http://images.politico.com/global/2014/05/08/plyler_dcl_-_05-05-14.html

I do not want illegal immigrant children to be denied an education. I want them and their parents to return to their homeland and apply for legal status in our country.

I don’t think taxpayer dollars should be used in our school system to teach people who are here illegally.

For years my undocumented pharmacist was Charlie.

Your pharmacist was a Viet Cong?

I agree with the rape acception and also if its any medical problem that would endanger the live of the mother to be honest and fair with you.

The two facedness makes me nauseous.

One president is lauded for deporting and separating families, the next is deemed to be deplorable. I see the damn problem here. Sore ass losers.

What exactly am I missing here that makes this such a bad thing?

Clark was careful in her approach, she believed, and told the president she needed guarantees her identity would be protected when action was taken. “Texas will not protect whistle blowers. The Mexicans refuse to honor our flag,” she wrote.

Dumb ass comments are even worse. Under Obama only criminals and people with warrants were separated from their families. You know those "dangerous people Mexico keeps sending here".

But you don't want to even talk about the difference in the situations. You want to make it sound the same.

There's no shame to your game.

Now, you're changing goal post again???

One president is lauded for deporting and separating families, the next is deemed to be deplorable.

Pit don't even bother engaging with Arch. His only agenda these days is purely to troll the left on here and you've been lumped in as a NOT GOP ENOUGH for Trumpians.

Yeah and I'm not really liberal enough for most Democrats. But I'm pretty fond of being in that position.

I address arch because he's a pretty funny guy sometimes. He points out things like he has someone very close to him that's gay. Which is true.

Then he turns around and refuses to address that an evangelical group only has a problem with gays being included in a certain legislation. I mean you can't make that crap up. Instead he won't comment on their discrimination of gays and attacks the legislation itself.

The USA is ranked 17 in the the world in education, the liberal run urban areas have the most horrible public school systems yet the so called educators here are so concerned with illegals that are draining the resources that are rightfully in place for the American children wheres the outrage ...Oh yeah I forgot they are anti Trump and love the anti Trump teachers unions and that's what this is all about. IMO

The USA is ranked 17 in the the world in education, the liberal run urban areas have the most horrible public school systems yet the so called educators here are so concerned with illegals that are draining the resources that are rightfully in place for the American children wheres the outrage ...Oh yeah I forgot they are anti Trump and love the anti Trump teachers unions and that's what this is all about. IMO

She broke the law. I posted two articles about the law earlier in the thread. One detailed the law, which is named Plyler vs Doe, and the second was a letter to all schools from The Department of Justice reminding everyone of the importance of following that law.

While assuring that if the child stays in the US they’re uneducated. Likely leading to a life of crime or general struggle. Cuz that’ll teach’m.

I agree if that is the law then it must be followed. I always thought teachers must report crimes if they knew about them. But, your post contradicts what I was thought I knew.

Thankfully they're just two guys on a message board. Unfortunately they're allowed to vote.