Cheap Labor?

An article which appeared in a North Alabama newspaper:

Hispanic majority at Crossville Elementary


The Reporter

Published September 22, 2007

Wanting a better life for their children has led numerous Hispanic families to Marshall and DeKalb counties, many working for poultry plants. Their children have become recognizable fixtures within many schools on Sand Mountain, in Marshall, DeKalb and Etowah counties.

While the true, most accurate number of Hispanic families living within the area may never be known, Crossville Elementary can prove it has a majority-Hispanic enrollment – the first such majority in the state.

During his tenure, Crossville Elementary School Assistant Principal Ed Burke said he has seen the enrollment rise to just over 900 students in the school, which houses students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Hispanics make up just less than 53 percent of the student population.

He has also seen numerous changes in the way students are taught.

“We have definitely had to get more creative,” Burke said. “We have done several different things and we are still trying new things all the time.”

Many Hispanic students need additional help with English. Burke said the state board of education has realized Crossville’s needs and has given the school additional funding.

Accurate and specific numbers were not available from the state board of education Friday morning.

Burke said the school has hired additional English Language Learner teachers, educators who work with children who speak little or no English.

These teachers are able to pull students into smaller groups, giving them additional reading and writing instruction.

Student transportation is another area where Burke has seen large growth. Currently, Crossville Elementary utilizes a fleet of 19 buses, up eight from when Burke started his position.

The number of Hispanic students has increased in the state’s public schools. The state’s enrollment in kindergarten through high school was 739,760, with Hispanics making up just 3 percent, or 23,219 students. Hispanics also made up 3 percent of the state’s population in 2006.

DeKalb County’s demographics for 2006 show an estimated 68,000 population, with Hispanics accounting for 9 percent of the total.

The Associated Press reported there are 1,559 Hispanic students in the DeKalb County Schools, which makes up 18 percent of the 8,810 students enrolled.

*When we lived in that area about ten years ago, I personally knew of people who tried to get employment through the temp force there, and more often than not, were turned down because of the huge numbers of immigrants being granted the jobs. Most of those jobs were for the different positions in the poulty plants there. There were, at the time, many citizens of the area needing employment, and were willing to take anything that was available.

What I never understood, is how they were able to grant those jobs to the immigrants, because at the temp forces, a social security card was required. It is no secret, now, that they were illegal because the poulty plants were raided, and the employment roll of illegal immigrants was so great, that it caused certain of the poultry plants to close.

Business doesn't want to pay a decent wage. Consumers don't want expensive produce. Government will tell you Americans don't want the jobs. But the bottom line is cheap labor.

The phrase "cheap labor" is a myth, a farce, and a lie ~ there is no such thing as "cheap labor."

Take, for example, an illegal alien with a wife and five children. He takes a job for $5.00 or $6.00 per hour. At that wage, with six dependents, he pays no income tax, yet at the end of the year, if he files an Income Tax Return, he gets an "earned income credit" of up to $3,200 free. He qualifies for Section 8 housing and subsidized rent. He qualifies for food stamps. He qualifies for free (no deductible, no co-pay) health care. His children get free breakfasts and lunches at school. He requires bilingual teachers and books. He qualifies for relief from high energy bills.

If they are, or become, aged, blind or disabled, they qualify for SSI. Once qualified for SSI they can qualify for Medicare. All of this is at the taxpayer's expense. He doesn't worry about car insurance, life insurance, or homeowners insurance.

Taxpayers provide Spanish language signs, bulletins and printed material. He and his family receive the equivalent of $20.00 to $30.00 per hour in benefits. Working Americans are lucky to have $5.00 or $6.00 per hour left after paying their bills.. and his. The American taxpayers also pay for increased crime, and other things generated by the issues of illegal immigrants.

Cheap labor? YEAH RIGHT!

There are many issues at stake, and come election time, I think illegal immigration is a pretty important one to keep in mind when deciding the candidate to whom you will give your vote.