Since when are you ICE?

[bohorquez]

:angry:

There's a little girl who's mom wants to be a parent volunteer in our kids kindergarten class. She's done it in the past so she's known around there and she's a very nice woman.

However, Pilar's Mom told my mom that when she went to volunteer that the school's office said if she didn't have a SSN then she couldn't volunteer.

What the heck is that all about!? Since when does a parent volunteer need a SSN? Last time I checked you aren't getting paid for the job. So this pissed my mom off and she went straight principals office and ask for the principal. The principal wasn't there and my mom said to everyone in the office "Who said that if you want to be a parent volunteer you need have a SSN??"

Of course no fessed up and she continued "let me tell you something you are opening a big ol' can of worms if someone in this office said that. It is none of your business to asking people for that kind of information."

What we've found out was that this school and another school in our neighborhood have been asking people for their "papers". They do not have the right do that and that's just asking for trouble. I didn't realize that ICE relocated themselves in our schools!

[IBMMuseum]

:angry:
...the school's office said if she didn't have a SSN then she couldn't volunteer. What the heck is that all about!? Since when does a parent volunteer need a SSN?..
At our local schools they welcomed my wife with open arms, asking if she could do presentations on where she was from in Mexico (which she did at the High School, and they are awaiting an encore) or help out in any way she was able. It may very well be the area that you are in, and the general xenophobic feelings. In situations where attitudes can be changed (announcing in an open room could have an opposing effect) it may be helpful to reveal that 'K' (my wife is on a K-3) and many other legal visas do not confer a Social Security number (in other words, someone can be legally admitted to the U.S. without having a SSAN).

[joy&pain]

I wonder if they want the ss#s to do background checks on those volunteering with children, making sure there are no criminal convictions? That is not unusual... When I volunteered to teach sunday school to 3s,4s & 5 year olds, I had to fill out a form with my ss# for them to do the "standard background check". It is standard procedure when working with children. Hopefully that was the case and nothing immigration biased.

[Marie]

i think it is to do a background check. My mother in law volunteers at the school and she had to fill out a full spectrum of paperwork. Even to go on the field trips with the kids, you have to give all that out. Personally I'm glad that they do background checks to see who is going to be around my child.
I don't think they meant it in the way you took it.

[bohorquez]

Because I'm here and I know the school, I know it's immigration biased. The only thing this school has ever asked for when you want to volunteer is to have a TB shot. My mom even asked that same day what was needed and it was only the TB shot. Nothing more.

I don't understand why they would ask this mom for a SSN if she's volunteered for the last 2 years.

So let me ask this question, have you heard or have a school that will not register a child because they are illegal? Or that their parents are illegal? I have.

Now if the policy has changed at this school that's different but I find out for sure and let you know.

[slubberry]

When we registered our son for school, we had to provide 3 forms of ID ( 2 had to be photo ID ) for our son. We also had to provide SSN for child and parents. We also had to provide several letters and documents supporting our address. Along with the usual immunization, dental and physical examinations. It all depends on the school system. We were told they needed the info to prove that we lived in the town and not just faking it to send our child to a better school system.

They also do background checks on everyone involved with students; employees as well as volunteers.

[cherrycandy001]

At my nephews school ANYONE that wants to volunteer has to present a social and state I.D, it is for background check purposes...but it sucks cuz that means his momma can't volunteer :(

[USCwifeinUtah]

Thank heavens I homeschool. I hated that crap (public school BS) when I had to deal with it with my older children - when I didn't know better about the schools.

[Pooh79]

At my daughter's school all non-parent volunteers must submit fingerprints for background checks.

[ojos_de_alicia]

thats nuts!!!... at my kids school they ask for parent volunteers for trips but.. i really dont know what they ask for.. i guess i'll find out..it's true though. you never KNOW what kind of parents are out there!

[Luckysprite]

Wow - I guess I am alone in this - but I have never heard of such thing. When my son was in elementary school (from 2000-2005) I volunteered several times at the school through various grades and never once was asked for any ID - photo, ssn, nothing!!

We live in the upper midwest - and I dont know if that has anything to do with it - but even now - if we want to volunteer (in the middle school) you simply fill out a form with what activites you are available for, your address, phone number - and thats it....

I can see the sense in it somehow - but a parent should be told when they are asked for such ID what exactly it is for - as in the OP's situation it never seemed to be explained clearly .... even if it was a 'new' rule change or something.

[letty391]

has your waiver been approved?

[angela256z]

I don't believe that they have any right to do that. I know any public school here in Seattle is not allowed to ask that information from a parent or a child. This is crazy. You are so level headed I would have been going off in that office.

[emt103c]

I'm a teacher, as for the school registration thing, they are not allowed to deny admission for lack of "papers." Especially after NCLB.

Volunteers would have to submit--in many places--fingerprints for a background check for obvious reasons. They check anyone who is around children for previous background problems.

THEY DO NOT NEED a social security number to do this, your record is associated with name and fingerprints.

If it is not a paid position, they shouldn't even be asking for this. This is not to say that they may not.

Oddly, it is a misconception by most people that a social security card or ITIN indicates "legality."

[IBMMuseum]

...Oddly, it is a misconception by most people that a social security card or ITIN indicates "legality."

Oddly, indeed. Even most state and local government entities (think "driver's licenses requiring SS#" in most states). And we still hear how "illegals" are getting all those Social Security benefits.

[Marie]

I just did the background check for the school and it was through name and social, no fingerprints.

Your criminal record has a lot of information and I'd prefer they check with the fingerprints because you can't make those up but I don't think most places do. Your criminal record has a lot of information on it, one of them being a ssn and you can search a ssn for a criminal record.

I just did a search for how to enroll children in schools here in Tulsa. We have that law coming in effect in Nov but the schools cannot ask children their citizenship. I thought that was interesting.