Michigan State House Discusses Whether Undocumented Children Have Right To Attend School In Michigan

Michigan state house (education committee) currently discussing whether undocumented children have a right to attend school in Michigan and whether their parents have right to decide which school.

The debate started as a debate as to whether or not parents could trigger a privatization or take over of a public school if the school was "failing".  The bill would allow for a simple majority of parents to take over the school and hire a charter operator to run same.  (As a retired public school administrator, I will skip adding my two cents to that debate.)

However, the discussion has devolved further as to whether or not the parents of undocumented children would have a right to vote in such an "election" and even if their kids have a right to attend school.

This posting in Twitter from conservative reporter Dave Murray of Grand Rapids Press:

"Dave Murray:

Trigger discussion has spun into a debate on whether illegal immigrants can attend schools, then vote in trigger elections."

P.S. I believe that the US Department of Education and Supreme Court have ruled that schools have no right to turn children, any children, away from public school doors.

The link to an article that Mr. Murray has just published can be found at:

http://www.mlive.com/education/index.ssf/2012/09/detroit_parents_say_parent_tri.html