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Old 07-28-2011, 03:22 PM
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Jeanfromfillmore Jeanfromfillmore is offline
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Default Will Immigration Status Affect Fulton Students?

It seems as though those open border advocates are crying that 'immigrants' (the article headline doesn't state the obvious word 'illegal') will be afraid to live in Georgia. But when you read the second article, it seems foreigners have no fear of Georgia and are visiting it in greater numbers. Now, does this show a difference between being illegally in this country as being a problem? Yes!!! And that is what the law is suppose to do.
Will Immigration Status Affect Fulton Students?
Georgia’s new immigration law may have some students and parents wondering what the coming school year will bring.
On July 1, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011 went into effect bringing tough new laws to crack down on the number of illegal immigrants in the state. Georgia currently has the sixth highest rate of illegal immigrant residents in the country. Those determined to have illegal status face deportation.
Though the new law may clarify the immigration issue for some, it could muddy the waters when it comes to school enrollment. According to state law, children between the ages of six and 16 must be enrolled in a public, private or home school setting.
“We have an obligation to the kids, regardless (of their parent’s immigration status), we have an obligation to educate that child,” said Susan Hale, spokesperson for Fulton County Schools.
And that’s where things can get dicey.
The procedure for school enrollment has not changed. To enroll in Fulton County Schools, parents still must prove residency by providing two of the following: bank statements, mortgage or rent statements, current utility bills or connection receipts, homeowner’s insurance registration or a current pay stub. Families in transition can apply to the Fulton County School Board for temporary homeless status consideration.
In addition, a notarized Affidavit of Residence must be submitted upon initial enrollment in the district and again prior to sixth and ninth grades. Parents also have to provide a child’s birth certificate and immunization records.
However, immigration status is not directly addressed. According to federal law, it is illegal for school systems to request information that could reveal the immigration status of a child.
“You can suspect, but there’s no way to prove,” said Hale. She also said that immigration data is not collected by the school system.
School budgets are determined largely by the number of students who attend a particular school.
Hale also said that though official enrollment numbers will not be available until after the first month of school, preliminary information supports the projected student enrollment for the coming school year.
Lynn Johnson is the principal at Mimosa Elementary School in Roswell. Of the more than 1,100 students at Mimosa Elementary, 68 percent are hispanic, 89 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch and 53 percent are classified as English Language Learners.
Johnson said she hasn’t seen a decline in Mimosa’s enrollment for the 2011-12 school year either. She added that school personnel will address any related issues on an as-needed basis.
“It’s a really touchy situation and is very private to families,” Johnson said.
http://johnscreek.patch.com/articles...nty-students-2
Foreigners Flocking to Georgia...on Vacation
ATLANTA – The number of travelers from around the globe who are visiting Georgia is increasing, according to a new report.
It's an encouraging sign because tourism is a key industry for the state, employing more than 233,000 in related jobs including hotels, restaurants and attractions, officials say.
In 2010, the number of international travelers to Georgia increased 19 percent while foreign visitors coming to Atlanta grew by 25 percent, according to figures recently released by the U.S. Commerce Department's Office of Travel and Tourism Industries.
The increase might be a sign of a turnaround for metro Atlanta, where visitor spending had dropped by 11 percent in 2009 to $9.8 billion, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. It had been as high as $11.4 billion in 2006 and 2007.
"In a challenging economic climate, tourism has been a source of strength as more and more people discover what Georgia has to offer," Gov. Nathan Deal said in a statement.
In Savannah, the numbers on overnight travelers who get hotel rooms rose by more than 200,000 in 2010 compared to the year before, said Joseph Marinelli, president of the Savannah Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
At Stone Mountain outside Atlanta, "we've seen a little growth, but not as much as the state has cited," said Jeanine Jones, a spokeswoman for Stone Mountain Park. "Of course, a little bump is nice."
At the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta — one of the state's largest attractions — officials said visitation numbers were flat last year at about 2.2 million people.
Many of the state's attractions are a short drive from the world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. That provides easy access and brings people to Georgia as a base for their travel, said Georgia State University School of Hospitality Director Debra Cannon.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2011/0...#ixzz1TRQX25SW
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