Monday is national illegal alien day. (List of events here.) Some schools are suspending students who walk out, but not here in the People’s Republic of Montgomery County, Md. They’re going to earn school credit for skipping school* and protesting enforcement of our immigration laws (via WaPo):

The Montgomery County schools’ decision to grant students community service credit for attending Monday’s immigration rights protest is raising concern among some parents as well as activists who say officials should focus on education, not political advocacy.

Montgomery is the only Washington area school system offering students credit for taking part in the event, to be held on the Mall — a decision Superintendent Jerry D. Weast said is consistent with how the system has operated.

“This is nothing new,” schools spokesman Brian K. Edwards said about the decision. “Advocacy is allowed.”

But in the superheated atmosphere surrounding the immigration debate, the decision is drawing sharp criticism from many quarters. Yesterday, school system offices were flooded with angry phone calls as word of its action circulated among conservative radio hosts.

In a memo sent to Board of Education members, Weast said that “callers were abusive to school system staff, using derogatory ethnic comments in expressing their views.” He added, “This is not the first time the national debate on immigration policy has engendered harsh commentary for the school system and staff as a target for political purposes.”

Edwards said students will receive service learning hours for participating in the rally as long as they do so under the supervision of a community group that has been approved by the school system.

Student participation in the event is being organized by CASA of Maryland Inc., a Silver Spring-based group that works with the Latino community. It is CASA’s role — as organizer — that has some questioning whether the school system is allowing an outside group to push its political agenda on students. “I do understand that CASA offers some worthy services to immigrants and that’s noble, but it’s a stretch to allow students to protest for a particular side of an issue,” said parent Melissa Andersen. “I’m taken aback by it. I think it’s poor judgment.”

CASA of Maryland is a taxpayer-funded, open-borders organization whose leader made headlines in February when he threatened the children of pro-immigration enforcement advocates:

An article published yesterday by the Sean Sands of Maryland Community Newspapers Online quoted Casa de Maryland’s Executive Director Gustavo Torres saying “We are going to picket their houses, and the schools of their kids and go to their work. If they are going to do this to us, we are going to respond in the same way, to let people know their neighbors are extremists, that they are anti-immigrant. They are going to hear from us.”

Will the Montgomery schools give credit to schoolkids who participate in counter-rallies held by the Minutemen or other pro-immigration enforcement advocates?

Contact info for the Montgomery County superintendent’s office:

Office of the Superintendent of Schools
Carver Educational Services Center
850 Hungerford Drive, Room 122
Rockville, MD 20850

Fax: 301-279-3205

Ms. Suzanne Peang-Meth
Administrative Manager for the Superintendent
Phone: 301-279-3381

Mrs. Valerie Jardine
Copy Editor/Administrative Secretary
Phone: 301-279-3381

Mrs. Juliette G. Treviño
Secretary
Phone: 301-279-3381

Ms. Reginette Schafer
Administrative Secretary I
Phone: 301-279-3381

Reason number 112,765 to homeschool…

*correction: the kids are on spring break.

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