Teachers: OK to Instruct Kids to Thwart ICE; Disciplined if Privately Promote Legal Compliance

By Rachel Alexander Published on February 27, 2017

If you’re a teacher in some places, you can’t tell readers of your personal Facebook page how to comply with immigration law. In other places, however, you can hand out flyers telling students and their families how to respond when ICE comes to the door.

OK to Teach Children to Thwart Immigration Law

Recently teachers in Austin, Texas, handed out flyers to illegal immigrant youth instructing them how to avoid deportation by ICE. Created by the radical organization United We Dream, the flyer — pictured above —  instructs immigrants not to answer the door, speak or sign anything. It urges them to “fight back!” with a picture showing a clenched fist.

The flyers are part of materials provided by the teachers’ union Education Austin to its 3,000 members. The teachers’ union held a training session attended by 250 on immigration law and rights.

Handing out these flyers goes contrary to the school district’s own policy. The district’s attorney responded by sending out out a memo reminding teachers they cannot share their “political affiliation, views, protests, advocacy, or other controversial issues or topics.” They cannot distribute materials that are partisan or “advocate for imminent lawlessness.” Teachers may not hand materials out during class or on school grounds.

On February 11, over 400 teachers in western Oregon participated in a day of workshops entitled “Teaching in the Time of Trump.” Organized by the Critical Educators Collective, the day “offered perspectives in the hope that teachers might be better able help students during what they view as long road of hardship under President Donald Trump’s administration,” reported The Portland Tribune.

One panelist, a high school teacher, told of countering another teacher who said teachers should keep their politics out of the classroom. The teacher asked her how she’d feel if someone taught against abortion. “I was really taken back by her statements,” she told the workshop, “but when I took a step back, I realized she needed to be exposed to the teaching around anti-discrimination work and social justice work and she needed to know her role in disrupting discrimination.”

On February 14, teachers from from the Reynolds School District in Oregon held a rally outside the local courthouse to express their support for illegal immigrant students. It is unclear whether or not they had requested vacation time to participate in the activity.

Several school districts across the country have declared themselves “safe zones” for illegal immigrants, and will not cooperate with ICE unless there is a criminal warrant.

Cheriese2Not OK for Teachers to Privately Support Upholding Immigration Law

In contrast, a teacher in Washington was suspended for urging people to report illegal immigrants during Thursday’s nationwide “A Day Without Immigrants” strike. The Prosser School District issued a press release saying that an unidentified teacher at Keene-Riverview Elementary School had been placed on administrative leave and under investigation after receiving complaints about the post.

The teacher was later identified as Cheriese Rhode, 29, who teaches first grade.

The press release claimed that “The post may be considered hostile and/or offensive on the basis of national origin.” Notably, the teacher’s post did not address students at all, but illegal immigrants generally. The superintendent of schools admitted to a newspaper that “it’s not clear what steps the district could take in response to a statement made outside of class.”

Rhode’s post said in part, “They [ICE] will need to know names, locations (either work place or residence) and any other specific information you can provide. If this offended you in anyway [sic] do me a favor and unfriend my American a**!!!” Rhodes ended the post, “TRUMP all the way!!!”

Washington has over 20 sanctuaries which shelter illegal immigrants, including criminals. Police arrested five illegal immigrants last month in connection with the shooting death of 31-year-old Jill Sundberg in Grant County.

Era of Lawlessness

Yet so far under the Trump administration it appears only students who engage in criminal behavior have been accosted by ICE, and even then they are not necessarily deported.

For example, Josué Romero, 19, a “Dreamer” in Texas, was caught possessing marijuana and required to check in with ICE. ICE released him. Romero responded, “For now, it gives me a certain feeling of comfort that I’ll be able to continue my life normally.” He is, however, under supervision and must check in with ICE regularly.

The Trump era has ushered in a strange new phenomenon, where school districts defiantly refuse to comply with the federal government, while teachers who support the law are disciplined. It is part of an overall effort by local governments around the country to thwart the Trump administration on illegal immigration, as well as law enforcement generally. Merely standing up for law enforcement has become an offense.

 

Follow Rachel on Twitter at Rach_IC.

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