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Undocumented students will be focus of forum
It will examine if they should be given admission to community colleges
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Published: May 20, 2009
Legislators and educators will participate in a forum about students who are illegal immigrants and higher education next Wednesday.
The forum is sponsored by the Forsyth Education Partnership, formerly the Community Alliance for Education.
Among those who have agreed to participate are U.S. Rep Mel Watt, D-12th; Superintendent Don Martin of Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools; and Margaret Taylor, a law professor at Wake Forest University.
Currently, North Carolina has a policy denying undocumented students admission to community colleges. The state is considering three main policy choices:
□ Admit undocumented students upon payment of in-state tuition if they meet such requirements as graduation from a state high school.
□ Admit them on payment of out-of-state tuition.
□ Do not admit them.
The forum will look at these policy choices, at the issue from the federal level, and at such related issues as the potential economic effects of the different choices.
The partnership does not have a position on the issue, said Deena Dreyfuss, its president. "We're really trying to present both sides of the issue," she said.
"We are here to facilitate dialogue," said Douglas Punger, the partnership's president-elect.
The partnership, a nonprofit organization, works to promote community dialogue and education, and its members plan to schedule forums on other topics.
Another major goal of the partnership is to encourage people to run for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school boad in 2010.
This fall, the partnership plans a series of programs designed to educate potential candidates on local education issues and to train them on running a campaign. In conjunction with that, the organization plans to sponsor some "meet the candidate" session and to publish a voter guide.
At the moment, school-board members are elected by party.
The organization supports nonpartisan elections, which the General Assembly is considering. If the elections do become nonpartisan, it will be even more important for voters to have a way of learning as much as possible about the candidates, Punger said. "We think that is a valuable service for the citizens."
As part of its efforts to support teachers and promote creativity among students, the organization also recognizes outstanding first-year teachers through its "Teacher of PROMISE" awards and its poet-laureate program.
■ Kim Underwood can be reached at 727-7389 or at kunderwood@wsjournal.com.
If you go
The forum on undocumented students and higher education will begin at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system's administrative offices, 1605 Miller St.
For more information e-mail the organization at forsythpartnership@triad.rr.com, or call 728-9239.
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