USDOE probing local school district enforcement of residency requirements for possible racial bias

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San Mateo student transfers probed

Hoi Ki Sin graduated from middle school this spring in Millbrae, where her family lives, and was all set to enter the ninth grade at Mills High School, the top-performing school in the San Mateo Union High School District. Instead, she's been assigned to Capuchino High in San Bruno, which has the district's lowest test scores.

"They said I'm not living in Millbrae," the 14-year-old girl said. "I'm not qualified because I'm living in my aunt's house, not in my parents' house."

Advocates say they know of at least a dozen similar cases in which the district barred Chinese American students from their local high school because they couldn't prove they lived in the neighborhood - their parents' names weren't on the home deed or rental agreement, or the head of household wasn't legally registered as the student's guardian.

In one case, the district has effectively kept a girl out of school for two years by refusing to recognize her residence in Millbrae with her aunt, who has cared for her since her parents returned to China, said an attorney involved in the matter, Jenny Huang.

Federal probe

The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into whether the district is enforcing proof-of-residency policies selectively against Chinese Americans who live in multifamily homes, or with relatives other than their parents. The investigation began Feb. 29 and such probes normally take six months, a department spokesman said.

The district, which has 8,400 students in its six schools, has denied any improprieties, telling local lawmakers that its policies are even-handed. District officials did

Sheesh. What's so hard about knowing where a student lives, if that student eats and sleeps at that residence?

[2pooped2pop]

1. In Missouri

there is a Lutheran School that gives a test for a child to gain admittance. I was told years ago, that no black kid will ever pass that test. No matter how well he does on the test, they will say that he failed.
I have no proof. I don't think I could ever have gotten proof. It's just something an old boss of mine told me. The boss attended that Lutheran Church.

That's been over 15 years ago now, but I bet they are still doing it.

[Igel]

2. It's complicated.

Every kid costs money, takes up space, impacts class culture and AYP.

Schools plan these things. In June mine worked out how many teachers it needed for each subject. The population growth is modeled and taken into account. Now the school's loading names into courses and trying to tweak student schedules--no, I don't want 59 students in my 5th pd class, thank you! If the week before school 200 students move from one school to another, that's 1 1/2 additional teachers needed or a lot of overstuffed classrooms. If they moved from two schools, they can't just move a teacher.

There's also liability issues. His legal guardian has to sign a lab safety waiver. Authorization for him to be removed from school. Complete medical forms. Allow phys ed activities. Agree to school rules. If a kid in my class gets hurt, his legal guardian needs to be called. What if he's living with a friend? With his aunt?

A number of kids give one address to qualify for being in a school but live elsewhere. In the event of a school closing, they contact that address. They bus the student to that address or turn the kid out and say, "Walk." And if something happens to the student after being turned over to somebody not legally authorized to pick her up, if she's stranded at not-her-house and something happens, if she vanishes as she's told to walk the 4 miles and not 3 blocks to here house, the school's legally screwed.

Usually when you register your kid, you sign papers affirming that the kid meets residency requirements. If you're lying, that's perjury or fraud.

But this enforcement should be done even handed.