Dear Trustees of NJUHSDistrict:
We urge those of you who voted against the Every Student Belongs resolution to reconsider and adopt it as soon as possible, to alleviate the growing fear among vulnerable students, families, and many others in the community. Your failure to adopt the resolution has worsened the fear.
You already have a statement of non-discrimination. But in today’s climate, with attacks from the current Administration targeting some of the very people your stated policy was created to protect, that policy should be strengthened and reaffirmed as often as possible. This is a moral issue. Stating publicly that our schools will protect vulnerable children and youth is a moral stand and an act of courage, qualities of character that are needed now.
Schools around the country are putting out public statements and developing protocols to protect students in case ICE officials attempt to contact students on local campuses. There is a degree of safety in numbers. NJUHSD should pass the resolution and develop a protocol and process for how teachers and administrators will engage with law enforcement in general and ICE specifically. See articles below to find out more.
No doubt you will also be contacted by people who approve of the Administration’s policies. We have seen what happens when governments single out certain groups to target and dehumanize and societies comply out of fear. History gives us many examples of atrocities and genocide that take place under such circumstances. We must stand against attempts to blame those who are most vulnerable, which is happening now. We must speak out strongly and act bravely or be complicit in this evil, which will get worse if unchallenged.
The argument that the Administration will take away needed federal funds pales in comparison to even one student being “disappeared,” or detained in one of the massive detentions centers being planned, or deported to a country they don’t know. The Trump Administrations plans to cut school funding already, and the least we can do is to make very clear that a primary value and bottom line for our high schools is that Every Student Belongs.
Sincerely,
Guarionex and Sharon Delgado
Nevada City
Guarionex and Sharon Delgado are founders and current board members of locally-based Earth Justice Ministries.
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