Erica Vieyra/Olentangy H.S. teaches kids ignoring U.S. immigration laws is OK

Erica Vieyra is a Spanish teacher at Olentangy Liberty High School in Powell, Ohio (near Columbus and Cleveland), and one of her classes teaches children that ignoring U.S. immigration laws is acceptable behavior. The goal is to help them build "empathy" for "immigrants", but it's actually pro-illegal immigration propaganda that the school district should put an end to. The Office of the Superintendent (Dr. Scott Davis) is here, but I couldn't find an email; perhaps scott_davis *at* olentangy.k12.oh.us. Hers is erica_vieyra *at* olentangy.k12.oh.us. After reading about this case, please send them polite messages with your thoughts.

This minor case also shows the danger of allowing those who put their ethnicity above our laws to obtain positions of power, whether high school teacher or an elected official.

From Holly Zachariah of the Columbus Dispatch (link):
The students had a role-play project: assume a Latino identity, build an imaginary life in your home country and develop a workable plan to immigrate to the United States.

Try it legally, Erica Vieyra told her 40 senior Spanish students at Olentangy Liberty High School. Fill out the correct documents, follow the proper steps. And then, after they spent days completing the actual paperwork from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, she took out her red ink pad and stamped a big, fat DENIED across every request.

Now, she told the students, come illegally. Forge your documents, find a way across the border. Then, research real ads and find a place to live in Columbus. Figure out what it would cost, how to get food. Plan how to survive.

...Vieyra promised them that the process -- even in make-believe -- would frustrate them. But they would gain, she hoped, an understanding of what is one of the most important political and humanitarian issues facing the U.S. government today...

...But [Vieyra] cautions that the point isn't to sway the students, only to teach them a little empathy.
Related:
Brent Lueck/Cary Junior High plays "we're all immigrants"/Ellis Island game

Tags: 

Comments

Killing White people if they "dis" you is ok too.

You think this has to be a joke but such is the climate our government has created by having law which is not enforced. Let law breaking become the norm and respect for law will erode. 'Now, she told the students, come illegally. Forge your documents, find a way across the border.' 'But [Vieyra] cautions that the point isn't to sway the students, only to teach them a little empathy.' Right. Empathy for lawbreakers and that thumbing one's nose at law is a cool, teacher-approved thing to do. Wonderful lesson.

Michelle Malkin has picked the story up now. That school is gonna get inundated with angry emails and phone calls. Hee hee.

This story has clearly been blown out of preportion! This project has not convinced students that it is alright to skip the border in the least bit. Instead of worrying about a teacher and her projects, the government and media should stop twisting people's words and start focusing on things that really matter like the drug, alchohal and underage tendencies which have been looked down upon for a long time. Hello!? Which is more of a threat to the government!? A project only for the students of the school (who are already us citizens!) or the death rates increasing at a younger age. I for one am so tired of walking into school and hearing about how my Profe is in trouble and all of the nasty rumors! They have to end and until the media finds something more juicy then the last, all we can do, as Olentangy Liberty students, is refute what the media has come up with. But it sure is taking time out of our studies, aint it?

you who made this story and commented except for Jessie, are bastards. Yes, you all are for 1. laughing that you were going to call my school and do angry phone calls because Oh! well i was corrupted to think that this project was a horrible one so i'm going to add my ignorance to this problem and make it worse for no real reason at all! I too am tired of all of your guys' bull crap about our teacher and school and since you don't know Profe Vierya, then you have no right to get invovled in the situation unless you read the real article before it's corruption in the columbus dispatch. Now bitches, your effects on the students are 1. bad grades 2. not trusting the news and 3. making the school turn into a depression era. I hope your fucking happy with all your comments as you are the ones that changed our lives, not the Profe of the Project.

I am an OLHS student, although I am not in Spanish V. I never heard of the project until this year. She's been doing this project for 5 years. Why are people making such a big deal out of it now? And you have no idea about the requirements or details of the project. So until you do, you don't get to criticize her or the school board. And it is NOT funny to call and complain about a HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT that doesn't even involve you. Profe Vieyra does this project not to sway opinions or brainwash anyone. The students research BOTH sides in order to form their OWN opinion. This is a part of Spanish culture, which directly effects America. It is a hot topic nowadays, especially with the 2008 elections coming up. These seniors in Spanish V completing this project will be able to vote in the 2008 election. Don't we want them to be educated about such issues so that they can make informed decisions about candidates? I would hope so..

so basically you guys know nothing of what this project actually consisted of, and mainly base your argument off the fact she said in the article of teaching them "a liitle empathy". Go get a life and stop distracting a school and its school board from its duties and take a grasp at actual problems out there in America today

I sure wish you high school kids would demonstrate that you belong in school by expressing your opinions with proper grammar and correctly spelled words. How do you CHILDREN expect to be taken seriously if you cannot even do that?

James69, I don't want to here that from someone with a sex position in his/her name