Lawmakers Do Right By Children
Scholarships, In-State Tuition May Be Extended
Last updated Thursday, February 24, 2005 11:02 PM CST in Opinion
By Brenda Blagg
The Morning News
The same House of Representatives that last week embarrassed Arkansas by not acknowledging the need to separate church and state this week faced down a different controversy and did right by the children of immigrants.
The first vote really didn't count for much, because it was to defeat a nonbinding House resolution and was more about trying to chide some legislators into preaching a little less and focusing instead on matters that really are the state's business. Just having the matter discussed probably accomplished the purpose.
By contrast, the vote to extend new opportunity to the children of illegal immigrants in Arkansas does count for something. In fact, it counts for a lot, not the least of which is that the House action probably means this will eventually be the state law.
Children educated in Arkansas' public schools will have a better chance to go to college. Every child, including those born to undocumented parents, who lives in the state at least three years and graduates from an Arkansas high school will be eligible for in-state tuition at Arkansas colleges and universities. And those who have done well enough in school can compete for state scholarships as well.
As Gov. Mike Huckabee said after the House vote, it sends a new message about Arkansas.
"House members showed courage by dismissing the shrill, misleading, often inaccurate criticisms of this bill," the governor said. "They voted to create true opportunity for all graduates of Arkansas schools. It's the kind of message that gives our state a very different image from the one in 1957 when we said 'no' to opportunity to children."
Despite a lot of apprehension about how the debate might go, in the end, the vote wasn't even close. House Bill 1525 passed 63-31.
It's not a done deal yet. The legislation must work its way through the state Senate to become law, but House approval was a huge hurdle for the bill.
Gov. Huckabee made the issue a part of his legislative package and was the early lightning rod for the anti-immigration critics.
But credit hard work by Rep. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, for the bill's passage in the House, where not a single lawmaker spoke against the measure. Plenty did vote against it and a few, with their questions, made it clear they still weren't comfortable with the bill. They've all heard the shrill voices Gov. Huckabee was talking about and some simply weren't able to put them out of their heads.
But Elliott and others, notably Rep. Sam Ledbetter, D-Little Rock, persuaded enough of their colleagues to do the right thing by these immigrant children.
Elliott recalled her own childhood in Arkansas in the 1950s and what it felt like to face discrimination because she was black and female. The children of immigrants today "are living with the boot of the government on their back, and it's not fair because they've done nothing wrong," said Elliott.
A teacher, she showed her passion for helping children realize their dreams through education. But she gave her colleagues plenty of other reasons, too. There simply is no mechanism now for these children, even those who have been lifelong residents of Arkansas, to become documented, Elliott said, as she tried to get lawmakers to side with her on the merits of the proposal.
Ledbetter cut to the political chase, acknowledging that some lawmakers were worried about what a vote for the bill might mean to their political careers.
Each has built up the political capital to survive this vote, he said, as he also reminded the House, "There is a reason we have a representative democracy. We are here because we get the opportunity to hear the thoughtful arguments on a bill that may otherwise be controversial and unpopular and realize the merits in doing this."
There is merit in the bill and, if the Senate shows the same courage as the House, immigrant children in Arkansas will have a better chance to get a college education.
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