KATY, Texas — Katy ISD is facing backlash after Board Trustee Morgan Calhoun asked if the district had any way of tracking the number of children of illegal immigrants who are students in the district.
Trustee Calhoun isn't responding to requests for comment, but KHOU 11 News is getting plenty of reaction from others.
Inside Monday's Katy ISD board meeting, Calhoun posed this question:
"Do we have any way of measuring or coming to an understanding of how many illegal immigrant children we have that we are educating? Are we even allowed to ask that question? Do we have any way of tracking that just to see what that looks like?"
Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski quickly responded to Calhoun's question.
"It would be unlawful to ask immigration status, so we don't track that," said Gregorski.
Calhoun pushed further suggesting the district push for legislation to allow it, contending taxpayers shouldn't be paying for students who came into the country illegally.
"When we're looking at the budget that we're looking at and we're squeezed in the way we're squeezed, I feel like it's relevant to start asking these questions," said Calhoun. "If we can't know who's illegal or legal then we also can't be given money to offset that cost, correct? If we don't know, we don't know where we're losing money or gaining money in any way shape or form."
Cesar Espinoza with FIEL Houston reacted to Calhoun's comments.
"The comments seem very ignorant," he said.
Katy ISD parents were sounding off too.
"What Morgan Calhoun said last night was reckless, careless, dangerous and frankly showed her inexperience," said parent Rebecca Trahan.
"Had she done her research this shouldn't even be something we're addressing today," said Espinoza.
The Supreme Court ruled in 1982 that every child in the U.S. is entitled to a public education regardless of immigration status. That means districts can't ask about it.
Here in Texas, education is funded through property taxes and sales tax. Experts argue that make status irrelevant.
"Even individuals who are not here legally are paying into the taxes that fund our public schools," said Duncan Klussmann, a former Spring Branch ISD superintendent who now is an assistant clinical professor in the University of Houston's College of Education. "It's a distraction from what really needs to be focused on."
Some parents said the comments aren't reflective of the Katy community.
"In Katy we're a very loving, welcoming, open and warm community," said Trahan. "That's who we are and she didn't represent us well last night."
Katy ISD released this statement:
“Katy ISD provides equal opportunities to all individuals within its geographic boundaries. The district does not inquire about students’ immigration status, nor deny enrollment based on it.”