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Monday, February 27, 2017

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Something to Listen To, Something to Consider about ICE and Schools

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Something to Listen To, Something to Consider about ICE and Schools:

Something to Listen To, Something to Consider about ICE and Schools

Image result for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Schools

Tonight former Washington State Teacher of the Year, Nate Bowling, will be speaking about the issue of agents of ICE coming to schools looking for undocumented students. 

Tacoma Teacher Town Hall
IBEW Hall 
3049 S 36th Street 
Tacoma, WA 98409 

From Bootstrapper Studios' Facebook page:


Join us right here tonight at 6pm to watch the live stream and hear from Nate (Washington’s Teacher of the Year in 2016), The ACLU, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, and Washington Dream Coalition.
As I previously reported, SPS  and the Board have made policy statements on this issue but I'm not sure what teachers and principals told to do if ICE agents persist.  It might be a matter of personal conscience at that point.  From SPS (bold mine):
School Board Resolution Affirms Students 


In a 7-0 vote, The Seattle School Board unanimously passed a resolution affirming their commitment to providing safe, welcoming, and inclusive schools for all students without regard to race, religion, national origin, or immigration status, Wednesday. 

The move is in response to heightened anxiety from many students and families in the district born out of the current national political climate. Those students and families tell the district they feel particularly anxious given the current national rhetoric about immigration. 

Superintendent Larry Nyland recently updated Superintendent Procedure No. 4310SP, Relations with Law Enforcement, Child Protective Agencies, and the County Health Department, to reaffirm the district’s practice of not asking about the immigration status of its students or families. 
The procedure says any requests for information from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) must be routed through the district’s Office of General Counsel for proper review and vetting. Federal agents will only be allowed access to records or schools as specifically required by law and upon the written consent of the General Counsel or Superintendent.
In the last couple of months, district staff have also held informational sessions and clinics to provide support for students and families from immigrant communities.
At the Soup for Teacher Facebook page, UW Bothell professor and noted public Seattle Schools Community Forum: Something to Listen To, Something to Consider about ICE and Schools: