A State Representative in Tennessee Monday defended his bill that would allow school districts and charter schools in Tennessee to deny education services to illegal aliens.
Since 1982, when the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision on a case called Plyler vs. Doe, all schools have been required to treat illegal aliens like citizens and provide them with education services. Illegal alien students have been reaping the benefits of the American education system for nearly 30 years.
State Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-District 75) says his bill is meant specifically to challenge that ruling.
“Well that’s what the bill is designed to challenge,” he told The Tennessee Star. “That’s why I introduced the bill. Plyler was decided by five liberal justices and four conservatives. This is a straight up legal challenge to Plyler vs. Doe.”
HB 1648, filed on Dec. 7, says the following:
As introduced, authorizes [a Local Education Agency] or public charter school to enroll, or deny enrollment to, students who are unlawfully present in the United States; eliminates state education funding for students who are unlawfully present in the United States; requires LEAs and public charter schools that enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States to bear sole financial responsibility for their education.
Griffey noted that even the liberal Supreme Court justices who ruled in favor of free education for illegal aliens were not totally convinced that the issue should not be one of state’s rights, and that the dissenting minority said the decision should be left up to the political branches of government, not the judiciary.
“If states want to [give free education to illegal aliens], I’m fine with that,” he said. “I don’t like nine unelected people making policy decisions for the whole country.”
“I don’t think I’m really out there in the woods on this,” he continued. “Here’s the issue: can states treat illegals different than citizens? We’re simply not obligated to pay for education for people to come here illegally.”
He also said he hopes that other states will step up and file similar bills in order to challenge the ruling.
Asked what he thought of his political opponents calling him as a “bigot,” Griffey was unfazed.
“That’s part of their attack,” he said. “Rather than engage someone on policy arguments and constitutional arguments, the best thing for them to do is label their opponents bigots and call us names.”
He also blasted Republicans for their inaction on the issue since 1982, specifically calling out the Bush family and the Cheney family, who he said were more interested in giving tax cuts to giant corporations than protecting ordinary Americans who are “taking it on the chin.”
“I’m definitely a Trump, America First populist,” he finished.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
[…] issues such as relocating illegal aliens to towns connected to prominent Democrat leaders, allowing schools to deny service to illegal aliens, employer use of E-Verify, and taxing out-of-country wire […]
Great news! Now if my RINO rep and senator would stand up for citizen’s rights it would be exciting… and surprising. They appear to be more concerned about criminal justice “reform”.
I figure that there is no chance of getting the foreigner-loving Lee to support it.
Thank you, Mr. Griffey!! Please continue your support to our Constitution, laws and constituents.
We dont have children but thru our 30yrs of marriage, we have paid property taxes and never begrudged a penny going to schools EXCEPT for teaching Illegals. Exactly WHY should OUR hard earned $$ be stolen to educate people who came here Illegally? Even if they are children, that is their parent’s issue, not mine.
It is way past time for this to be relitigated. I would love it if this made its way into TN Law
Love this guy! He is a great constitutionalist and listens to his constituents. Thank you for standing for Tennessee!
Mr. Griffey has fought for the right decisions when other RINOs sat in silence. I wish he would run for governor!
Liberal Democrats do not care to understand illegal, we do not owe illegals anything, no more than we need to build hotels for the homeless, that is what good comrades like Commie Cooper want to do. Liberals love illegals, abortion, transgenders and the radical LBGTQ community, all clearly Democratic groups along with BLM and Antifa, all at present under the leadership of the corrupt President China Joe. The ruining of public education is clearly on the shoulders or spineless backs of liberals !!