Reporting possible illegals: As a teacher, am I breaking a trust?

Question

I'm really torn on this one. I am an Elementary School Teacher in the Southwest so many of both my students and other teacher's students tell me the various and different ways they came into the country with their families.
During the school year, I work at one high-risk school but in Summer, I substitute in many different schools. I have enough experience to know that many of them are illegal based on what the students tell me, language experience, ect.
Am I breaking a trust and taking advantage of a student who doesn't know they shouldn't be sharing this info with me by calling ICE? Am I taking revenge on a student because I see the problems, the costs and the strain on schools that have so many illegals coming into the system by calling the authorites? Thank you for your input and honesty!

Answer 1

Well I will be honest with you. I feel really bad for these poor children. They probably went through hell to get here, and now they will probably suffer because of the choices their parents made. My heart always goes out to the kids. But on the other hand, I have a child also, who goes to public school. His school is overcrowded and his education suffers because of it. Im not in a border state, but we still have trouble with illegals etc. They have had to make an extra class for each grade, for Spanish speaking children.
I would never want to be in your shoes to have to make such a tough decision, but I think you should report them.

Answer 2

Unlike every single post I am not going to tell you what to do, to be honest I am not sure ICE would respond to a teacher because the government says its ok to educate the children of illegal immigrants. Border agents and ICE, etc. are leery about going against what our government not only lets happen but actively initiate.

However, I am very glad that someone from inside the system pointed out the harm that is being done to our schools and our children. Educating all children is a priority but other nations children should be educated at the expense of our children.

We need to enforce our borders and find a way to deal with this overwhelming problem.

Answer 3

In my opinion, you would be breaking the law to NOT report them, and cutting off your own foot to spite your leg as well. As a teacher you well know the consequences of our education and health care systems being mobbed and overrun by people who are not contributing to the system that supports it. It isn't the kids fault, we all understand that. What these parents are doing is a lot like what the terrorists overseas do when they surround themselves with innocent civilians to avoid being bombed. The parents of these children are criminals. They have violated the law. The law is there to protect the rest of us who pay into these systems under the impression that they will function for us and our families when we need them. Nothing burns my bridges more than going to a health care facility to get my 2 year medical exam (required by truck drivers) only to have to wait in line for 2 hours behind every immigrant in the neighborhood with a scratch or a scrape, so they can get a bunch of free medicine and a day off work. I swear the last time I had to do it, the only people in the place who spoke English were the nurses, and the receptionist. Even the doctor had a thick Indian accent, but I bet at least he was here legally. I pay a LOT of taxes, and I am rather sensitive about our country getting "bilked" out of its hard earned tax-dollars that are supposed to be used to improve OUR standard of living. Not people who enjoy all the benefits of the freedom this country has to offer, without having to pay for any of it.

Answer 4

Your allegiance is to YOUR Country. I would think the illegal alien's parents would be drilling their kids not to talk about being illegal, but the way things are now, perhaps they do not feel the need to do so. They think they have all these rights to a free education, when they are, after all, criminals.

Were you to suspect a child was being abused/sexually molested at home, would it not be your duty, and is it not the Law, to report your suspicions to protect the child?

Well, our Country needs protecting from these invaders and you need to report this criminal behavior. Be strong and do what is necessary. Thank you.

Answer 5

You are obligated to report them. thats the ONLY way this system will EVER get fixed. there is no confidence when there is illegal activity involved. true, you can't be prosecuted for teaching illegals, but its your moral and legal obligation as a US citizen to report the situation.

you are absolutely correct- they put an incredible burden on the system. if all teachers cared as much as you did, then maybe this problem would get solved.

pelase do the right thing.

Answer 6

Your main responsibility is to the American students in your care. Allowing illegals into our system takes time and money away from the legal students, it is unfair to them.
The illegals are bleeding our country, our system, and all of our resources. If they were going to be good citizens, they would not be breaking the law to begin with. Would you hesitate to report a criminal? Illegals are criminals.

Answer 7

If ICE would do anything it would be wonderful to report them. But they will not do anything. If all it took was reporting illegals to the authorities, many of us would start cleaning up the streets. Don't you understand, even after the amnesty debate, that our government has no intention of enforcing our laws and keeping it's CITIZENS safe from identity theft, tax evasion, counterfeiting, uninsured drivers, emergency room overcrowding, taxes from social services to illegals, drug smuggling, gangs, and all the other serious problems brought here by people who, simply by coming here, illustrate they have no respect for our laws? Wake up! If you try to report illegals, you will become the criminal. You will also be called a racist, right wing, mean spirited, jerk by those who support illegals (read our government). The reason you hear these things from your students is because they have no reason to fear being illegal. They march in the streets with no fear of arrest. They are "in your face" about it and nothing is done. Just drive by a Home Depot any morning in Phoenix, AZ and you could round up literally hundreds of illegals, but the "authorities" ignore them. Don't waste your time or risk your job reporting them. But I do encourage you to teach your class in English for all of the US citizens in your class, but you will probably be fired for that to. No need to educate the children of those who actually contribute to paying for ours schools!

Answer 8

You should notify ICE if you suspect the child's parents are involved in any criminal activity (besides the initial trespassing), or you know the child's parents' workplace has many illegal immigrants. Otherwise, I suspect the lack of resources would prevent ICE from rounding up just one family.

Answer 9

No you are not. To allow them to remain and degrade the quality of the education the other students are receiving is unconscionable.
Their parents are criminals & need to be reported. Yes it is a shame that these people think so little of thier children, merely as their free ride on the U.S. welfare gravy train, and put them in such perdicamenst, but that is NOT your problem.

Answer 10

the question you face is really a difficult one.....to give opportunity to poor ,but honest people and to be a loyal american....it is not easy to take the law into our own hands and teachers who teach equality and loyalty to our country is sometimes like contradicting oneself....I think, sometimes one way and sometimes the other really means that according to a situation I assess the situation....maybe that is the guideline but then again it is then something of a great challenge or/and a responsibility...some people would opt for one idea but I do think that the situation is the real reason and the appraisal of what we should / could gain our opinion,