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Latino group won't be in Riverside for first day of school

from PhillyBurbs.com:

By: TODD MCHALE (Thu, Aug/31/2006)

RIVERSIDE — A national Latino organization yesterday declared victory on one battlefront in Riverside, but vowed to continue its war against municipalities that pass anti-illegal immigration laws.

The Rev. Miguel Rivera, president of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders, said he believes the Riverside School District's policy of admitting all students living in the township, regardless of their immigration status, is a clear victory for all immigrant families.

School and township officials, meanwhile, made it clear that has always been the district's policy.

In a letter sent to Rivera yesterday, Mayor Charles Hilton said “at no time has the Riverside Township Committee made effort or even considered making an effort to deny anyone an education in Riverside.”

School Superintendent Robert Goldschmidt has said all along the school district would follow state admission guidelines, which allow any student to register for school as long as he or she can prove residency in the district.

“We consider this a victory because the township has come to realize they made a big mistake blaming the immigrants for the financial hardships at the schools without any proof,” Rivera said.

When the Township Committee introduced its Illegal Immigration Relief Act in June, it said the influx of illegal immigrants had caused overcrowding in the township's schools and led to fiscal hardships in the school district.

School officials disputed the township's assertion from the beginning, saying there had been no spike in enrollment that could be traced to illegal immigrants.

“We respect and praise the decision made by the mayor and superintendent,” Rivera said. “But we also want to ensure that Riverside city officials understand that although we as leaders find no need to appear on school grounds the first day of class, we have asked parents to inform us if they experience anything of concern in the schools.”

Rivera said the organization will proceed with a federal lawsuit against the township, and could add another defendant to the suit soon.

“As soon as Newton passes their ordinance, we will be amending our lawsuit to add them to it,” Rivera said of the Sussex County town that has begun working on an ordinance similar to the one Riverside adopted last month.

“We will also be increasing the damages sought from $10 million to $100 million,” he said.

The lawsuit contends Riverside's law, which bans anyone from hiring or renting housing to illegal immigrants, is unconstitutional and discriminatory.

If Newton passes an ordinance targeting illegal immigrants, it would be the second town in the state to do so, although more than a dozen municipalities in other states have passed or are considering similar laws.