Students shouldn't have to fear deportation at school. Trump could do it anyway. | Opinion
Enough is enough. Schools should be beacons of safety, learning and resources within our communities. Let educators teach and students learn without fear.
After the November general election, Arizona schools began fielding questions from students and families about the impacts of Arizona Proposition 314. This new law changes Arizona’s approach to border enforcement, immigration status verification and fentanyl trafficking.
When in full effect, it empowers local and state authorities to arrest individuals for immigration violations, which are now under federal jurisdiction.
Portions of Proposition 314 are on hold due to legal challenges, but if upheld, they would also apply to asylum seekers who have federal permission to be here.
Most concerning is the possibility that arrests could happen anywhere within the state, including previously protected areas such as churches, hospitals and schools.
Immigration enforcement could target schools
National rhetoric from the incoming Trump administration about using the military for immigration enforcement and mass deportations deepens fears.
Many teachers and school personnel are Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, now afraid of what happens to them if Donald Trump rescinds DACA again, as he did in 2017 in his first presidency.
Fear is rippling through classrooms and communities at a time when schools can least afford it.
Concerns are not limited to Arizona. School districts throughout the United States are proactively reminding staff about policies regarding interactions with immigration officials, as well as reassuring families of their current rights, even as they wonder what is to come.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has gone further, issuing model policies that school districts can adopt relating to the incoming Trump administration’s assertions regarding mass deportations and rescinding “protected areas” such as schools.
Bonta’s guidance also includes how schools should handle requests from immigration officials.
“Local educational agencies should have plans in place in the event that a law-enforcement officer requests information or access to a school site or a student for immigration-enforcement purposes,” the updated guide reads.
Arizona's SB 1070 had a terrible impact on students
When Senate Bill 1070, Arizona’s “show me your papers” law, went into effect in 2010, public schools were, in many ways, ground zero for the fallout, offering lived lessons and outcomes.
A year after SB 1070 was enacted, the University of Arizona studied its impact on the state's children. The “Left Back” report demonstrates a disturbing pattern of youth destabilized, disillusioned and disadvantaged.
Student enrollment decreased, resulting in lost funding and job cuts. Equally devastating was the erosion of trust with institutions – not only law enforcement but also schools.
Schools should be safe places to learn
School counselors documented increased teen marriages for immigration purposes, and school health staff saw higher referrals for stress-related health issues.
Principals reported decreased parental involvement in their children’s education, and young people shared that they were less likely to report crimes out of fear of immigration referrals.
Arizona’s schools are already facing declining enrollment, school closures and high levels of teacher burnout. Now, it appears they will also feel the brunt of state and national immigrant scapegoating.
Enough is enough. Schools should be beacons of safety, learning and resources within our communities.
Let educators teach and students learn without fear. And, hopefully, let all of us learn history’s lessons from SB 1070 so we don’t repeat those same mistakes.
Rhonda Cagle is founder of Leverage Consulting Agency, serving schools and school systems. She is a member of the Board of Contributors for The Arizona Republic, where this column originally appeared.