A West Harvey Dixmur Elementary District 147 meeting increased tension on Monday as the board attempted to accept concerns over possible immigration enforcement in its schools, including a teacher’s recent report, including a target comment about exile. Went.
Interim Superintendent Craig Williams presented the district’s immigration guidelines and procedures, including using measures to protect the danger from possible raids by US immigration and customs enforcement agents. Illinois State Board of Education issued general immigration enforcement guidelines for schools across the state to prepare for any related events.
Williams said that parents federal immigration officers will not be allowed to enter any school without any warrant. He said that the district is working to tighten security and will continue to ensure that all visitors go through a process that includes automatic background check.
“We understand the concern of some parents and some community members – even some families and my friends,” Williams said. “A few days they do not want to send children to school, but we need to tell our community that their children are safe here. We are not allowing people to come to our buildings and just interviews or students out. ,
Despite waiting for 90 minutes, the board met privately in the executive session, the community members filled 25 seats with others, which were included in the periphery of the small meeting room.
Some concerns about anti-immigrant rhetoric in district schools, due to lack of support for students and parents, were left frightened since the target operations by immigration enforcement agents in the Chicago region last week.
Since President Donald Trump took over and initiated action towards exile of unspecified immigrants, the district only saw a slight decrease in the presence of the student, despite concern that parents can keep their children home from school.
Williams said in protest against the immigrants without Monday’s National Day that the immigrants and community members encouraged the work and school to stay at home and avoided shopping in protest against large -scale exile, the district has last one. Only 10 to 15 additional absence in the week have been observed. ,
While Williams emphasized the importance of regularly communicating information about immigration protocols for students, employees and parents, some attendees complained that the authorities had not responded to concerns.
Gwdlupay Gutirez, who said that he had several family members in the district, after complaining that a teacher kept a newspaper with a story about the possible collective exile under Trump during class time and Said that ‘I can’t wait for it. ,
“These people go to school to learn, and they are scared,” said Gutirez. “If we do not protect our children, who will do it?”
Gutirez and Lizzie Welch-Aguniga, who brought two of their young children to a meeting with them, said that they were upset that the district did not provide a translator to help another district parents, who do not speak fluent English Are, make public comments. Welch-E.N.Niga ended the board explaining the concerns of other parents.
“This is a very diverse district-should be a translator for him,” said Welch-E.No.Niga.
The population of district 147, including Lincoln Early Learning Center, Martin Luther King Elementary and Rosa Parks Middle School, 36% is Hispanic or Latin, 14% people speak English “According to 2018 to 2022,” from 2018 to 2022, “from National Center for Education Statistics . The dashboard says the average domestic income of the community is around $ 37,000.
Board meetings are usually scheduled on the district office, 191 west 155th place, Harvey on the first Monday of every month at 7 pm.