Arkansas Blog

Thank you, Lu Hardin. This is good for UCA, good for the state and good for these students who will have a chance a great future. Thank you!

That is bullshit.

If my parents are criminals and I have AR give me free schooling, then I get in-state tuition, BUT, if my parents are law-abiding citizens of Missouri, I have to pay out-of-state tuition???

What a load.

How liberally convenient to use the term 'immigrants' instead of the correct term of ILLEGAL immigrants.

Good for no one--Your objection appears to be based on the fact that the potential student's parents are criminals and the student has already received the benefit of a free Arkansas-taxpayer-financed high school education. Are you saying that if an Arkansas mother or father commits another crime--say murder or shoplifting or something in between--then that parent's child should not be allowed to get a public high school education and pay in-state tuition at UCA?

And 4:17 Anonymous--People aren't illegal. Actions or (in some cases) words are illegal. We don't refer to people who have committed other crimes as illegal Arkansans or illegal citizens.

Yeah lets reward them for breaking the law. I hope Lu will require them to speak english......

Thanks for remembering UALR exists...

"Are you saying that if an Arkansas mother or father commits another crime--say murder or shoplifting or something in between--then that parent's child should not be allowed to get a public high school education and pay in-state tuition at UCA?"

Of course not. I'm just expressing my frustration that we are rewarding criminal behavior.

Is UALR that tech school over by the VA? A friend of mine got a welding certificate there. Great place to go after high school.

Thanks Dustin!

Your either ILLEGAL immigrant or not. Why should an ILLEGAL immigrant get in state tution.

Let's not educate our Hispanic immigrants so they can cluster in segregated Spanish-speaking barrios and work only the most menial of jobs. That way, there's no way they'll turn to a life of crime is there?

Why in the world would we want them to assimilate and get an education so they could ascend to become professionals the way other immigrants did before them?

BTW, Little Rock's Hispanic population in the 2000 census was supposed to be only 2.3%. Any guesses on what it is now?

Your either ILLEGAL immigrant or not. Why should an ILLEGAL immigrant get in state tution.

What does the Arkansas Constitution or Statues have to say about this?
Not that Constitutions or laws make any difference to Rwingnuts if they get in the way of their racism, predjudice.

Isn't there some rule or law that if you graduate from Ark highschool then there's eligibility somewhere? Is this an individual college rule?

This bs about paying taxes. What we have seen is that sales taxes primarily finance this state. Are there immigrants who avoid them? If so tell me how.

Look, you have to fundamentally decide whether you want to expand the Arkansas tax base by providing eligible students with a solid education and theoretically affording them the opportunity to a higher paying job (of which the state will benefit through increased spending as well as an increased tax rate) or do you want the academically talented graduates of Arkansas working in a poultry plant for the rest of their lives? That's the question to answer. By most accounts, these children are whole-heartedly products of our state. They have lived here most of thier lives and will likely continue to live here and contribute to our state. Shouldn't we do everything possible to make sure thier contribution is as strong as it can be? And news flash, most of your immigrant children are bilingual and we'll need thier skills quite badly in the coming years. Also, it's interesting to note that most of these bilingual children display a much higher cognitive capacity than thier monolingual counterparts. So, I guess you are suggesting that we just ignore this resource and do nothing to cultivate it. Brilliant idea. That kind of thinking is exactly why we are consistently at the bottom of every scale (oh yeah, except meth and teen pregnancy).

Secondly, you are ignoring the fact that the parents of these children are likely having their payroll taxes taken out for federal income tax, state income tax and social security. So, yeah, they are paying taxes in addition to the sales tax they pay, property tax they pay, etc. Do some research. The SSA has a fund to the tune of 500 BILLION in paid social security for whom there will be no benefits paid out.

I applaud Lu for having the gusto to do the right thing by our state. He's an incredible leader and I'm proud he's taking a stand. Too bad the majority of the dems as well as the repubs voted this down. I wish more of our leaders could muster up the cajones to do the right thing.

Educating more people is NEVER a bad thing for society.

Those kid's parents are paying taxes (property, sales, fica, fed and state withholding, etc), the kids graduated from high school here, and it makes sense to have them be educated members of the workforce.

That is how we climb out of our current "thank God for Mississippi" culture.

Education.

Education.

Education.

Education.

Education.

Education.

Education.

Education.

Education.

Well put, Roland...right to the point.

It all starts with an opportunity for a good education.

I guess it's just hard for some whities to look at darker skin...

"I'm just expressing my frustration that we are rewarding criminal behavior"

Exactly what "criminal behavior" are these children guilty of? Did they drink from a public water fountain, or (gasp) kiss a white girl?? Oh Lord Jesus, please save us from these evil people!

For the record, folks in Mississippi can still be heard saying, Thank God for Arkansas.

reward
reward
reward
reward
reward
reward
reward
reward
reward
And more will come........

I know lots of illegal construction works that get paid cash. Tax free!!! How does a illegal immgrant get a social security number to even pay taxes?

I know a woman that worked at H&R Block last tax season that said she'd have some hispanics come in with a SS# that showed they had already tried to file 8 or 9 times.

Even though they were illegal, they still tried to pay the taxes they don't owe...

I've also seen on the news where they steal ss# and then apply for credit.....

Your either ILLEGAL immigrant or not. Why should an ILLEGAL immigrant get in state tution.

Why are you so worried about the English skills of immigrants if you can't speak it well yourself?

Quick English lesson for the learning- impaired natural citizens: "your" is possessive. "You're" is a contraction made up of "you" and "are."

Please learn English before entering seconday schooling institutions. Thank you, and God bless.

Yes, Basil...fine point. You said...

"Even though they were illegal, they still tried to pay the taxes they don't owe..."

...just for the same opportunity the Bigots were born into...

But that Bigot doesn't want to pay taxes...and forget about sheltering Dem' Messicans...unless you need a cut for your lawn...or to do some work on your chimney...

How about introducing some culture to my kids...

Do you want to deny some kid the opportunity of a first rate education...not because the kid earns it, or more importantly deserves it...no, it has nothing to do with the fact they earned it...but because that kid's parents tried to do the best they could...provide the most loving and fruitful environment possible?

Nah...not a bigot...

Sadly, conservatives generally don't have any sense of history. They don't realize America was built on the back of immigrants, and many of the movers and shakers of society were either the children of illegal immigrants or illegal immigrants themself.

These people come to America for the same reason people have been coming to America for ages: to find a better life. They often start at the bottom of the ladder, and as they integrate through the generations, find themselves on top.

Should the US just let people pour across the borders? Nope. Should the US sabotage of lives of the children of immigrants, even though they have lived in the US and call it their home? Nope. If you're going to work hard to succeed, to bring yourself to higher levels, and, in the process, bring the nation to a higher level...you shouldn't be punished.

To all who doubt the possible contributions of these people, you need look no further than this true story in Wired Magazine:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.04/robot.html

It's about "how four underdogs from the mean streets of Phoenix took on the best from M.I.T. in the national underwater bot championship."

These were illegal-immigrant high school students. They came from a poverty-ridden predominantly Hispanic school (you know, drug-ridden and a sense of despair hanging throughout the shoddy facility). And they beat some of the nation's most brilliant minds at some of the best colleges in this here United States.

First of all, to even compete in robotics competitions, you have to be fairly intelligent. To win in robotics competitions, you have to be at the top of your game. To beat the students from the top colleges in America while you're still in high school, you have to be brilliant.

The sad outcome of this story is that they couldn't afford to go to college and weren't elgible for state funds. Think about how many precious minds like that go to waste.

Thankfully, a fund was created, and I believe they got college paid for them.

You've all made very fine and very twisted points from the far-left to the extreme right. Now, I would like someone to tell me how these children are going to get a professional, well paying job when they graduate from college? Everyone has forgotten that the children of illegal immigrants that were not born in the U.S., are illegal too. Therefore, they are inelligible to work in the U.S. Back to you blue, I'm feelin purple.

Here is some very interesting reading for the blue hued among us.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-avenues2aug02%2C0%2C6797351.story

I'm a Republican...sadly addicted to this blog....this is a good move by Lu that will only strengthen Arkansas' position in the future. Children that attend our public schools and perform well enough to enter college and pursue the American dream deserve that opportunity. They are not the lawbreakers and should not be punished as such. It is their parents that have broken the law.

Besides, why should we only keep the illiterate aliens working the assembly line at poultry plants and construction jobs and let the bright Hispanic students slip off to other states. We will need articulate, Spanish and English speaking students in every professional field. With the exception of racism as a motivator I cannot see how this hurts society.

Here's another raised glass to the Huckster. His leadership inspired this and set the bar. Its one more area where his courage and leadership opens doors for others and moves our state forward.

Don't give them too much credit. All the school is doing is trying to INCREASE REVENUE! They are not giving them a free ride, they are allowing them to be charged the same rate as in state students. How nice of them. The question would be what was their prior policy??

Lu should be fired. He the same kind of scum that brought down every democratic power the world ever had. All thought the government has thousands of do gooders just like him helping to bring down the USA. Yes Illegals are criminals and anyone helping them are criminals too.

In the words of the ignorant redneck woman standing on the side fo the road during the Little Rock immigrant protest parade: ENGLISH! ENGLISH! ENGLISH!

That is an excellent article, JD. I had read it in the print version a long while back -- thanks for the link to the online version! (http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.04/robot.html)

Do any of you haters teach school or go to school with your children? Do you know any high school seniors who are children of immigrants? I do. Many of them. I am so glad that Arkansas state colleges use whatever portion of my taxes they receive to make education available to ALL graduates. Objections to this policy are based in bigotry and xenophobia.

Case in point: Every "aginner" here made the immediate assumption that the article referred to the children of ILLEGAL immigrants. Nowhere in the story was the word used.

Naturalization is not a fast process. Some of the graduates referred to here may be children of working parents who are in the process of naturalization. I'll wager you haters are also against naturalization because what you are REALLY deploring is people who are different than you are.

Everyone knows who the policy helps, and they were the one's who whined and cried about not being able to send their illegal children to college due to high costs for out of state students (in their case, students that are not even citizens) - after receiving a free high school education. Come on, Americans are upset on a number of fronts concerning illegal immigration. I'm all for immigration when it is done legally, and I support ALL legal immigrants during their natrualization period. I cannot and will not support millions of illegal immigrants who have stolen into this country, and then cry, cry and cry some more. This is about huge corporations and their greedy desire for more and more cheap labor. It's about screwing hard working Americans who have followed the law and are being thrown away like trash.

Hey mag, do some homework, really thorough homework and maybe you'll know what you're writing about.

My people came here as LEGAL immigrants they did not enter the country ILLEGALLY. If you moon bats who like to parse words and ideas can't understand the difference you deserve your moniker of moon bat.

Condoning the breaking of our laws by rewarding that behavior is irresponsible. I can tell you that the vast majority of Arkansans DO NOT support this.

"Haters" because we have a problem with people breaking the law. GET REAL!!!!!!!

regarding what to call "immigrants" "illegal immigrants" whathaveyou...the proper term is "undocumented." crimes are illegal, not people.

also, for those of you who think this in-state tuition is Unfair....how will these children better themselves and our country Without Education?!

I'm proud of my alma mater UCA!

'undocumented' my politically correct moon bat. Being a citizen is considerably more than a piece of paper. No, people that are here illegally or illegal immigrants. Capise?

I'm from Arkansas. We call a spade a spade. They are here illegally consequentially they are illegal immigrants.

On the recent vote in the senate to authorize the building of a fence on our southern border, a significant number of senators reversed their previous vote against this to now support it. This was done AFTER they returned back to their states for town hall meetings. Guess they got the word that the public is fed up with illegal immigration. SECURE our borders.

MY ancestors came to this country 300 years ago and had to murder the natives, steal their land, and destroiy their culture! These johnny come latelies should have to do the same!

"Please learn English before entering seconday schooling institutions. Thank you, and God bless."

JD
What is a seconday schooling institution. Don't you mean secondary schooling institutions. Why don't you correct your own mistakes before lashing out with insults ASSHOLE.........

You complained about the English skills of immigrants--I didn't.

Yours was a fundamental grammar error that showed a fundamental misunderstanding.

That's pretty lame
Your still an asshole .................

DAMN! It's "you're" damnit.

Christ, learn your own language.

Your a asshole......