Teachers Union Opposes ‘Save Our State’ Initiative

Rejecting claims that U.S. taxpayers are being unfairly penalized, the nation’s largest teachers union Monday came out against California’s proposal to deny social services to illegal immigrants.

“California makes it a sin to be a child of a person who is seeking the American dream,” said Darlene Chavez, granddaughter of an undocumented immigrant and an Arizona delegate to the National Education Assn.’s annual convention of teachers and school personnel.

The California delegation had asked the 2.2 million-member NEA to take a broad approach, actively opposing any bill or initiative to deny illegal aliens equal access to a public education and other public services, but its motion was narrowed during debate.

Opponents of the California initiative argued that it requires schools to become agents for the Immigration and Naturalization Service and denies undocumented students equal access to education. Supporters cite the cost of providing services to people who do not pay taxes.

“Illegal immigrants do not play by the rules. They break the rules,” said Jane Stern, a delegate from Maryland.

But in an emotional address to the convention, Amy Tsubokawa of California recalled how she had been interned with other Japanese Americans during World War II. “There was no due process although my mother is American. . . . I was denied equal access to public education.”

The INS estimates that there are nearly 4 million illegal immigrants in the country and that the number is growing by about 300,000 a year.

California, Arizona, Florida and other states have filed suit against the federal government seeking to recoup some of the cost of providing education, health care and other services to illegal immigrants.

The California “save our state” initiative has qualified for the Nov. 8 statewide ballot.