International Teachers In Prince George's County Forced To Leave

[Recursion]

Video of the protest at WAMU

The pursuit of the American dream doesn't always have a happy ending. That's certainly the case for hundreds of international teachers recruited from all over the world to work for the Prince George's County school system. These teachers are now being told they have to go home.

The teachers were recruited after administrators found it challenging to recruit what's known as "highly qualified teachers" from the U.S. to fulfill requirements after the No Child Left Behind law was enacted in 2002.

The teachers are now caught in the middle of a dispute between the school system and the U.S. Department of Labor, and some will be on flights departing Washington as soon as next week. They're trying to do what they can to fight the ruling, including by protesting in front of the White House Aug. 9.

Maria Estravez first met Prince George's County school officials when the officials came to the Philippines in 2006. She says the first question she asked them was will they sponsor her permanent residency or green card? She says they said yes, which is why she moved to Clinton, Md. where she teaches math at Stephen Decatur Middle School.

To recap: PG county laid off a shit ton of teachers, brought in teachers from all over the world on H1Bs, illegally made those teachers pay for the visas, got slapped with a $100,000 fine which is still cheaper for them than paying regular wages to American teachers, and now the teachers are being shipped back home because PGC is no longer allowed to sponsor H1B workers. *facepalm*

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Seems consistent to me.

I was hired in 1984 to teach at an American school in Zurich. The job offer was rescinded at the last moment due to the high unemployment in Switzerland. Jobs went to "nationals" first. I was disappointed, but agreed with the policy.

[denverbill]

2. Sounds like ALEC at work to me.n/t

[indurancevile]

3. it's not alec, it's your president's education policy.

[femmocrat]

4. There is a surplus of highly-qualified teachers in next-door PA,

Plus all the teachers who were furloughed the past few years. Are they paying the international teachers less?