[BrainTop]

Aceleron: Sure let's do that...and in your perfect world they will just go away. Let's bury our heads in the sand and pretend they just don't exist and if we don't educate them then their families won't come and they will just leave. We can see how well that's worked out so far...


Rubia: What constitution? If it actually existed the education system would be getting 4% of the budget as mandated.

Just about the only thing your right about is that it hasn't worked out thus far, this mainly because nothing was being done about this until now. There are laws now, and yes their is a constitution, a much better one than that of Haiti's; which if you ask me serve to protect no one.


The 4% will be implemented during this coming administration. When 4% is applied, what will be the next crying call for all you doubters?

[deethythitoth]

The 4% will be implemented during this coming administration. When 4% is applied, what will be the next crying call for all you doubters?

If the 4% is instituted, incuding teacher training, full day school, and mandatory attendance, I'll consider tattooing the Dominican constitution on my backside.

Don't know of anyone out there, besides the government, who is against more money toward education.

[deethythitoth]

I expect to see more of this in the US in the future, also. Not against Haitians, but against illegals.

I was about to tell you how wrong you are, but then I recalled how the Texas school district I work for quietly began collecting data on place of birth of enrollees. It was done quietly, without little notice. I'm holding my breath, as I believe that it'll be used at some time in the future to start weeding out the undocumented. I hope I'm wrong.

(I also understand that being foreign born does not necessarily make you illegal, but place of birth is an important screening point.)

[deethythitoth]

From today's DR1 news summary:

This is not explained in the text, because if there were children, the Constitution of the Republic (Art. 63) says that the right to education is universal and everyone who resides in Dominican territory, regardless of status, has the right to primary education," he said.

Dominican Republic News & Travel Information Service


Is the Dominican Constitution still in effect?

[Uojeyak]

The DR will never allow an outside agency to provide these kids with an education. They will fear these kids will receive a better education than the Dominican kids.

[PeterPatrickJohn]

Simple, the UN doesn't give money to any educational system as far as I know.

[CoiI8XIj]

As of June 1st, illegal foreigners will not be educated in the Dominican Republic, according to this article:

Illegal foreigners will not get into schools - DiarioLibre.com

I have rather mixed feelings about this - obviously targeting Haitian children.

On one hand, I understand that there are limited resources and Dominican children should come first.

On the other hand, if the Haitian children are uneducated, well, their future is even more dismal than it already is in DR.

And that is bound to affect Dominicans in general, no??

That is a violation to the constitution and children's rights. Doesn't the government have anyone to check up on these things before they are passed?
I bet they will have to change it back.

[BrainTop]

If the 4% is instituted, incuding teacher training, full day school, and mandatory attendance, I'll consider tattooing the Dominican constitution on my backside.

Don't know of anyone out there, besides the government, who is against more money toward education.

If I recall correctly, this was Danilos main platform, if he reneges on this he loses total credibility. Fact is, a large portion of Dominican voters chose him because of this.

[ycMC0PLg]

This is what Taino and I were discussing the other day...so here it is. So...these kids are here whether we like it or not. They're not going anywhere. So we choose to leave them out of school (an infringement on one of the universal human rights - Education - BTW) and 15 years from now we will have thousands of illiterate Haitians still living in The DR and reproducing like rabbits BTW, since the least education the most kids they're prone to have and taxing our health care and other services even more while contributing hardly anything (other than manual labor) to the economy...and of course crime will rise even more since they'll have nothing else to do to make a living. Those of you who are against educating these kids (and I know there are some here) please explain to me how this scenario is the right thing for The DR...

So instead we do the right thing and let them attend school (and actually enforce the law that says that kids are supposed to be in school). What little resources the government provides for education are stretched even more (but does it really matter that much that instead of 50 students per teacher we have 60 or 75? Under those conditions nobody is really receiving a quality education anyway). Let's say at least 80% of those kids make it far enough to learn to read and write SPANISH and learn about OUR history, culture, etc...maybe even a small percentage of them actually graduates and a few may even get a professional degree. How did we lose again? Someone please enlighten me.

Agreed. What's happening here is the typical attitude of "querer poner el candado cuando ya han robado". The kids should be taken care of and be educated, but at the same time, a tighter grip must be put on the borders, and end the vagabunderia happening there with the traffic of illegals once and for all.

[PeterPatrickJohn]

Are there estimations on the number of children illegally in the DR and going to school ?

[PeterPatrickJohn]

Petitioning the Canadian government is a better idea Bob

[deethythitoth]

Educate them in the same schools just provide the money to the Dominican education system.

And who shall the US ask for reimbursement for the undocumented students they educate? Mexico? the DR? The UN?

If the US stopped educating the undocumented currently enrolled in it's schools, there'd be protests from the representatives of many governments, firstly Mexico, followed quickly by the Dominican Republic.

The burden to the country by not educating illegals is going to increase, not decrease by keeping children out of school.

[ycMC0PLg]

Yes, but you can't have it both ways. You can't support not educating illegals in the DR, and then demand to have Dominican illegals elsewhere be educated on someone elses dime.

If you'll notice, I'm among the ones in favor of educating them (mainly due to the fact that I don't want to see Kreyol being given official status here). I'm just asking you to keep real about which of the two countries is in a better position to play nation builder with the Haitian case.

[deethythitoth]

You are aware of the fact that by comparing the US with the DR you're basically comparing a mammoth with an ant now, are you?

Yes, but you can't have it both ways. You can't support not educating illegals in the DR, and then demand to have Dominican illegals elsewhere be educated on someone elses dime.

[jackie Obrian]

From today's DR1 news summary:

This is not explained in the text, because if there were children, the Constitution of the Republic (Art. 63) says that the right to education is universal and everyone who resides in Dominican territory, regardless of status, has the right to primary education," he said.

Dominican Republic News & Travel Information Service


Is the Dominican Constitution still in effect?

The article is not clear if they are talking about all schooling or high school/post secondary only.

[espabamar]

Aceleron: Sure let's do that...and in your perfect world they will just go away. Let's bury our heads in the sand and pretend they just don't exist and if we don't educate them then their families won't come and they will just leave. We can see how well that's worked out so far...

Rubia: What constitution? If it actually existed the education system would be getting 4% of the budget as mandated.

[Siffidiolla]

I don't have a problem with any country that wants to use their resources for their own citizens or those in the country legally as long as they are in the process of deporting these children and the adult illegals back to their country of origin. I also don't have any problem with sending families back where they are legal residents or should be legal residents. But I also think that it is time the US followed the DR's lead and eliminate the use of "anchor babies" being given citizenship through right of birth to mothers that do not have legal status in the country.

I do agree that if you are going to allow the illegal families to stay in the country it is extremely short sighted to deny them basic education and medical care.

I also don't fault the DR for the "stateless" Haitian children - that fault is directly the result of their illegal Haitian parents' decision to have their child in a country that will not recognize the child. They should go back to Haiti, have the child and then become illegals again if they are actually worried about it. A lot of the world's problems would become much smaller if people were held to be personally responsible for their choices and if countries would be responsible for their own citizens. If this means having a hard look at population control for the country then so be it.....

[Lymnempomma]

As of June 1st, illegal foreigners will not be educated in the Dominican Republic, according to this article:

Illegal foreigners will not get into schools - DiarioLibre.com

I have rather mixed feelings about this - obviously targeting Haitian children.

On one hand, I understand that there are limited resources and Dominican children should come first.

On the other hand, if the Haitian children are uneducated, well, their future is even more dismal than it already is in DR.

And that is bound to affect Dominicans in general, no??

[deethythitoth]

If you'll notice, I'm among the ones in favor of educating them (mainly due to the fact that I don't want to see Kreyol being given official status here). I'm just asking you to keep real about which of the two countries is in a better position to play nation builder with the Haitian case.

Agreed. And I also agree that if you want to deal with illegal immigration, more should be done at the border.

[jackie Obrian]

Simple, the UN doesn't give money to any educational system as far as I know.

Perhaps not directly but UNRWA spends about 625 million per year on education for Palestinians, and UNICEF also spends money on education, as does Feed the children, Children InternationaL...etc. There was a lot of donor promises to provide funding for Haitian education.