Paul Bass Photo
Recent pro-“sanctuary city” rally in New Haven.
If the feds coming knocking on New Haven public school doors looking for undocumented immigrants, officials are prepared to ask to see credentials first — then ask for a warrant.
Even then, they don’t expect to usher agents into the classroom. They do expect to notify families enrolled in public schools about any threats to their children.
That message is contained in a draft policy the Board of Education has prepared to respond to fears that the incoming Trump Administration will send agents back to the city to round up undocumented workers and their families. (Federal agents swept up 32 immigrants in new Haven in a 2007 surprise raid a day and a half after the city passed an immigrant-friendly municipal ID card program.)
Markeshia Ricks Photo
Clark: “Unknowns” loom.
School system operations chief Will Clark presented the draft policy at Monday night’s Board of Ed meeting at Beecher School. Clark heads a committee that has been working on the policy since concerns arose about New Haven’s “sanctuary city” standing with the federal government in the wake of Donald Trump’s election as president.
Clark told board members the draft was “intended to push forth the conversation.”
He reported that the district is updating emergency contact information for all students and training staff “to accept, investigate and respond to any and all claims of discrimination or bullying against any member of the New Haven Public Schools district community.” And school staffers are instructed to avoid inquiring into students’ immigration status.
In his remarks and in his PowerPoint presentation of the draft, Clark emphasized that federal policy, backed up by state law, currently advises against immigration enforcement agents entering school buildings.
“But that is guidance. It is not law. How that may change is something we have to monitor very closely,” Clark said.
The draft recommends the following policy statements, among others:
• “Any request by immigration or other federal agents submitted at the school level shall be denied and forwarded to the Office of the Superintendent for legal review and for adequate steps to provide for the emotional and physical safety of its students and staff.”
• “The Office of the Superintendent shall require the production of official credentials of any Federal Agent or other representative seeking access to schools or students.”
• “The Office of the Superintendent shall require the disclosure of a warrant signed by a federal or state Judge authorizing any legal activity on School grounds and shall review such information with Legal Counsel.”
• “The Office of the Superintendent shall also, where appropriate, deploy School Security Emergency response Teams, Trauma teams and other resources at his/her disposal and/or through collaboration with local Police and City agencies in order to protect the Schools, students and staff from unlawful or inappropriate enforcement.”
• “District Personnel shall refuse all voluntary information sharing with immigration agents across all aspects of the District to the fullest extent possible under the law. All requests for information shall be forwarded to the Office of the Superintendent for appropriate legal review.”
According to the draft, the school district also plans to update emergency contact information for students and to protect all student records as confidential under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
The draft identifies community groups like Junta for Progressive Action, Unidad Latina en Accion, IRIS, St. Rose of Lima, Connecticut Students for a Dream, and the ACLU as “partners” in the school system’s work on this issue.
Clark told the board that his committee examined policies in place in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
“A lot of folks are in the same position we are” in dealing with “unknowns” for how policies like those of nominees such as expected new U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will “trickle down” to local federal appointees, Clark said.
Board member Darnell Goldson (at right in photo, with fellow board member Ed Joyner) called the report “well researched and informative.” He told Clark Monday night that he hopes to have a final policy ready for approval as soon as possible.
“The [Trump] Administration has been clear what they want to do, what the goals are. I don’t think we have to wait for them to take office to do it,” Goldson said. “I would like for us to make a statement about where we stand on these issues. … I don’t want to wait until something happens.”
“We want a strong statement that we are protective of our kids; we will keep our kids in school,” agreed acting schools Superintendent Reggie Mayo.
Clark’s working committee on the policy includes Gil Traverso, Madeline Negron, Carolyn Ross Lee, Carmen Rodriguez, Abie Benitez, Danny Diaz, Cameo Thorne, Dave Cicarella, and Michelle Bonanno.
Very proud of our New Haven Board of Education! Keep fighting the good fight.