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Joseph Turner of American Children First filed a ballot initiative April 3 to prohibit illegal aliens from attending school in the Yucaipa Calimesa Joint Unified School District. The initiative requires 3,200 signatures to be put on the ballot.

Turner has been politically active for the past several years, and especially vocal on illegal immigration. He founded Save Our State in 2004 and lost endorsement of the San Bernardino School Distirct when he ran as a school board member in 2006 because of his anti-illegal immigration stance. He worked for San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors office writing press releases for Neil Derry in 2009.

He said in an interview with KABC that he specifically chose Yucaipa, almost 90 miles from his office in Torrance, because the community is (a) conservative community.

YCJUSD Superintendent of Cali Binks said, The Yucaipa Calimesa School District has not been contacted by Joseph Turner and was unaware of the press conference (with KABC) held in Yucaipa.

Clerk of the School Board Sharon Bannister also commented on the initiative.

Our mission is to provide an education for all members of our community from preschool programs, our elementary, middle and high school programs to our growing adult school program, she said. YCJUSD welcomes everyone to be a lifelong learner.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision with Plyler v. Doe in 1982, holding that states cannot constitutionally deny students a free public education on account of their immigration status. Turner is hoping to overturn that decision.

The reaction of local parents with children who have attended Yucaipa-Calimesa schools runs the gamut from support to anger to thoughts of the future.

Diana Grieco, who has had all five of her children educated by the local school district, supports Turners initiative.

I dont think we should pay for them if they are here illegally, Grieco said. I feel bad for the kids, but their parents should become citizens.

Debra Wagner, who also has children in the school district, agrees with Grieco.

I support the initiative because its not fair for us to support everyone who is here illegally, she said. Those who are here legally are already struggling, with cuts to school programs, like music. We need to take care of the people who are here before giving to others who are here wrongfully.

Other local residents have a different perspective.

It makes me really, really angry that someone who has never attended our school district or had his children go to our school district and is not part of our community is targeting us to serve his own personal agenda, said Kim Gopperton, who went to school in Yucaipa, as did her children. I dont like it and I really resent that.

Others consider what will happen if education to children who are already here is denied.

Children, legal or illegal, should have the same opportunity to get an education that will benefit not only their futures but also the future of every American, said Barbara Davis, another mother with children in the school district. Children, no matter what race or ethnicity, are the future of this country.

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Ballot initiative seeks to ban illegal immigrants from school - Yucaipa/Calimesa News Mirror