An alienating proposal
I read the editorial “Ensuring the safety of international students” [Opinion, May 25], which supported the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affair’s proposed safety checks for exchange students’ host families with special interest.
I was an exchange student last year, so I absolutely understand the need for safe host families.
My family is now having a wonderful time hosting an international student. However, we would be not hosting if we had to be fingerprinted and to divulge our financial resources — not because we are criminals, but because we value our privacy.
Criminal-background checks could catch the few sex offenders who try to host a student. But they would also deter a much larger percentage of safe families from hosting. Due to the current economy, many families no longer feel they could afford to host a foreign student. By adding additional regulations on hosting, it is going to be even more difficult for exchange programs to find families.
The suggestion to ban single people from hosting exchange students is just ludicrous. That is discrimination based solely upon martial status. I have known several exchange students who have had a wonderful experience with their single parent. It is unreasonable to assume that because someone is single, they are likely to violate a young person.
— Elliott Brooks, Seattle