[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??

[qilmuz6v]

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

I understand where you are coming from, but in fairness I think it has to be said that only those Haitian children who are in the DR illegally are being targeted. Not because they are Haitian, but because they are illegals.

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

[Drugsonl]

In my opinion that's an aberration and an embarrassment to the international community by the DR.

[PeterPatrickJohn]

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

[espabamar]

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.

[jackie Obrian]

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.

I agree educate them, but still register them as non Dominicans and ask the UN to pay for the education.

[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.

[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.

[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]

No matter how pretty Suarenz packages this, if the DR accepts these illegals, the state then becomes complicit in the activity of harboring Illegals.

I wholeheartedly agree with Taino, once these illegals are given free range, soon after their family members in Haity will come across looking for the proverbial greener pasture.


It is widely known that we currently have well over 2 million illegals in the country, just think if each and every one of these illegals has but one family member in Haiti and should those people upon request from their family member already here decide to come over, in no time we will have 4 million illegals.


I hear a lot about pleasing the international community and something or other about human rights, I say when will these international community play their part in making the Haitian government play their part in providing for their nationals? How about this, are Haitian human rights above Dominican human rights?


Honestly, I really don't understand why people actually believe that once these illegals are given same rights as Dominicans, they will then become productive members of society. Fact is life is unfair, if it was, we'd all be sitting around a bonfire singing cum baya, if these illegals are given free range, they will be employed in the same low paying jobs they currently work now. Meaning they will be taking jobs away from the less fortunate Dominican.

[jackie Obrian]

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.

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

[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?

[PeterPatrickJohn]

Petitioning the Canadian government is a better idea Bob

[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.

[jackie Obrian]

Petitioning the Canadian government is a better idea Bob

???????????????????? I don't understand you comment. Enlighten me.

[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.

[PeterPatrickJohn]

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

[deethythitoth]

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

There in lies the debate?

Also wondering how many legal immigrant "gringos" are doing the following:

It was noted that the requirement for the normalization of the immigration status of the foreign student is established in Article 81, paragraph g.

Among the requirements stipulated in this article are: possession of a student visa issued by the Dominican consulate in his/her country of origin; a passport with at least 18 months of validity; proof of acceptance in the school to which he/she has been admitted; medical insurance and proof of economic solvency for covering study and living expenses.

The regulations stipulate that the maximum stay in the country under this condition is one year, with can be extended according to the plan of studies.

[FateHostera]

Good move. USA could use this.

[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.