First it was San Diego’s City Council. Now it seems, the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) is taking aim at Arizona’s new immigration law.
The Arizona measure, SB1070, allows local police officers to question people they believe are in the country illegally. Critics say the law is based on racial profiling. Supporters say the law is a relief and long overdue.
Over 45 percent of students in San Diego's school district are Hispanic. Board president Richard Barrera fears some of them could be targeted if they travel to that border state.
On Tuesday, the SDUSD board will consider a resolution that condemns the new law and warns parents of the risks of traveling to Arizona. Though it may only be a symbolic gesture, supporters say it could send a powerful message.
“[The resolution] allows parents to know that the school board supports them,” said Pedro Rios from the American Friends Service Committee. “They will not stand for this type of discriminatory legislation.”
“This establishes a very concrete and public stance that even our elected officials are against these sorts of measures,” said Rios.
The cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego publicly denounced the immigration law. Yet many say, other cities shouldn’t meddle in Arizona’s business.
Local
“I don't understand why California has a problem with it,” Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has said recently. “Maybe we should boycott California?”
Although the new law has been criticized by many, polls show most Arizonians support the measure. In a poll published last week by the New York Times, the majority of Americans support the law , even though they say it may lead to racial profiling.
A majority of the people polled, 57 percent, said the federal government should determine the laws addressing illegal immigration, the NY Times reports, but 51 percent said the Arizona law was “about right” in its approach to the problem. According to Tuesday's article, 36 percent of those polled said it went too far and 9 percent said it did not go far enough.
The San Diego Unified School District is inviting the public to the meeting Tuesday, May 11 at 5:00 p.m. at 4100 Normal Street in San Diego.
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @nbcsandiego or add your comment to our Facebook page.
