Proposed resolution against illegals in community colleges fails

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Admission rule splits Wake commissioners

Wake County commissioners deadlocked along party lines Monday on a resolution opposing the admission of illegal immigrants to community colleges.

The resolution objected to the State Board of Community Colleges' decision, in September, to allow illegal immigrants into degree programs at out-of-state tuition rates. It died after getting three of six votes needed.

Commissioner Paul Coble pushed the resolution, which would have been an entirely symbolic act. The board provides some funding to Wake Tech but has no authority over community college admissions.

Familiar tactic

It is obvious Wake County Commissioner Paul Coble learned his politics from his uncle, the late Sen. Jesse Helms. Coble has taken a page right out of the old Congressional Club playbook. Find an irrelevant issue that inflames and pits groups of people against each other for political gain.

Coble's resolution against illegal immigrants attending Wake Tech is a blustery red herring put forward conveniently a year before he is up for re-election. Aside from the real ethical questions this issue raises, including punishing children for the sins of their parents, it has virtually no impact on the citizens of Wake County.

Currently there are four illegal immigrants attending Wake Tech Community College, paying approximately $2,000 more for their education than it costs the taxpayer. No more can attend because the State Board of Community Colleges policy states that legal residents get preference, and Wake Tech is full.

Colleges could profit from illegal immigrants

The state would make money by admitting illegal immigrants to community colleges and charging them out-of-state tuition, a consultant told leaders of the state's community college system today.

The state currently prohibits illegal immigrants from attending community colleges but is considering changing the policy. The Board of Community College hired the consulting firm, John B. Lee and Associates of Maryland, to conduct a study of the issue.

In a preliminary report today, the consulting firm said that admitting illegal immigrants as out-of-state students would net more than $1,000 a year per student at most of the state's community colleges.

Insulting, too

In your June 19 article, Dr. Stuart Fountain, head of the State Board of Community Colleges, said that not admitting illegal immigrants would create a "second-class citizenry." This is an interesting choice of words given that illegal immigrants are neither citizens nor legal residents of this country.

He also claimed that unless we allow illegal immigrants to attend these colleges, they have "no option but to go ahead and join a gang." This statement is an insult to the 70 percent of Americans (according to the Census), who do not have college degrees but are nevertheless law-abiding, productive and highly valued members of our society.

Steven Kwiatkowski

Panel: Admit illegal immigrants to college

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s 58 community colleges should admit illegal immigrants, a committee of the State Board of Community Colleges decided today.

The full board will vote on a final policy Friday, after years of controversy over the issue.

The committee made the decision this afternoon as protesters waved flags and shouted through bullhorns on the sidewalk outside.