Schools accused of illegal requests

A new report has found at least one-fifth of New Jersey's public schools illegally ask families of incoming students for information hinting at their immigration status.

Warren County was found to have nine districts in violation, while Hunterdon County had eight, according to the report.

Monmouth County was found to have the most districts in violation with 26.

Over the summer, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey attempted to survey all of the 635 districts and charter schools in the state. Of the 516 that responded, 187 either asked for or suggested asking for restricted information such as a Social Security number or visa status, according to the survey results released this week.

"For many children of undocumented immigrants in New Jersey, if a school district so much as inquires about (Social Security numbers) or citizenship, the parents will turn away due to fear of deportation or other consequences," said Ed Barocas, legal director of the state ACLU, in a letter to the Department of Education.

Deborah Jacobs, ACLU of New Jersey's executive director, said the survey was conducted by simulating the experience of someone seeking information on enrollment. A district asking directly for illegal information was labeled as a clear violator, she said.

If a secretary did not ask for the information openly, the caller was to prompt the secretary as to whether a green card or Social Security number was necessary.

Schools that answered affirmatively were labeled as probable offenders, according to Jacobs.

Some school administrators in Warren County questioned the ACLU's approach.

Superintendent Dwight Klett, of Frelinghuysen Township School District, was not pleased with the method used by the ACLU. He said the district is in compliance with the law.

"It appeared to me as if they were posing things in a strange way," said Klett, who did not answer the particular call. "They're jumping to conclusions is what it looks like."

Hackettstown Superintendent Robert Gratz said his district was included erroneously because the staff member who answered the phone gave incorrect information. However, Gratz said, the district is using the opportunity to review the issue with staff.

Jason Kornegay, Harmony Township's chief school administrator, said the issue was an oversight on the district's part. District paperwork asking for Social Security numbers was removed as of Wednesday afternoon, he said.

The ACLU conducted a similar study in 2006, when 58 of 224 schools surveyed illegally required private information. The group said 21 of the schools on the 2006 list appeared on the current list, including the Alpha Public School District.

Donna Medea, Alpha's chief school administrator, said she believes the district's paperwork is in compliance and suspects the violation is the result of new personnel answering the phone calls. The rules have since been discussed, she said.

"It won't happen again," Medea said.

The state is setting up ways to monitor what schools ask incoming children, said department spokeswoman Kathryn Forsyth. Withdrawing state aid from subsequent offenders is an option being discussed, she said.

"The department will not tolerate continued violation of the law," Forsyth said.

New Jersey laws allow anyone between the ages of 5 and 20 to attend public school.

A school can ask for proof that a family resides in the district, but requesting documentation that suggests a student's immigration status is illegal.