Bill Would Require Schools to Count Undocumented Students

By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- An Oklahoma lawmaker is working to require school districts to count the number of their undocumented children.

A local Hispanic newspaper portrayed the bill's author, Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, as the devil, but, Terrill said those against the measure are probably misinformed.

Protestors stood in silence on the steps of the state Capitol Wednesday holding signs denouncing Representative Terrill and his proposed law.

"It's basically an unfunded mandate on our public schools that's going to require our schools to become immigration officials," said Brittany Novotny, Young Democrats of Oklahoma.

House Bill 3384 requires schools to "determine citizenship status of enrolled students." The information is then reported to the State Board of Education.

"I think taxpayers have the right to know that information," Terrill said.

Terrill is also getting the attention of educators, including several teachers at the Capitol for OEA Lobby Day.

"I think it might deter a lot of parents from enrolling their students," said Whitney Stafford, Moore Public Schools Teacher.

Terrill maintained he's not interested in names, just numbers.

"House Bill 3384 doesn't have anything to do with depriving illegal alien children of their opportunity for an education," said Terrill. "This would provide for an accurate accounting of those who are illegal, and those who are legal and provide for cost numbers to be associated with that."

Terrill said several years ago, he was told undocumented children cost the state as much as $180 million a year. He said that number was a guess, and he wants to know the exact cost.

House Bill 3384 passed the House with support from Republicans and Democrats. It will likely be voted on in the Senate within the next two weeks.