In light of recent federal immigration raids that resulted in hundreds of arrests across the Los Angeles region, educators are gearing up to safeguard their students as the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) approaches the fall semester.
The urgency stems from a need to instruct students of all ages, including those in elementary school, on how to respond if they are confronted by federal agents.
“We might be thinking, ‘Well, this is just for high school students, right? Only the high school students need to know their rights.’ It’s not true,” stated Ingrid Villeda, an educator within LAUSD, emphasizing the importance of educating younger children as well.
Villeda highlighted the responsibility educators have in ensuring students from elementary to high school learn how to protect their constitutional rights.
To this end, Villeda and fellow educators conducted a training session aimed at preparing staff to protect students, faculty, and families from potential ICE raids.
The training included crucial information on how to proceed if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are spotted near school grounds.
Participants learned how to identify different types of federal immigration enforcement agents and the protocols for neighborhood monitoring of ICE activity.
Hosted in a crowded room at the United Teachers Los Angeles building in Koreatown, the training session witnessed a strong turnout, prompting organizers to add chairs for the many attendees. Due to high interest, a subsequent session was scheduled for Wednesday via Zoom.
Lupe Carrasco Cardona, chair of the Association of Raza Educators in Los Angeles, stressed the vital importance of rights awareness for students and families, regardless of immigration status.
She reiterated the fundamental rights everyone has, such as the right to remain silent and the right to legal counsel, along with protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.
“The people have to know in their bones that they have the right to be here, that they are wanted here, that they’re supported here,” Carrasco Cardona asserted, voicing the need for a sense of belonging and security for families amid uncertainty.
The training comes after LAUSD administrators successfully denied access to federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security at two South Los Angeles schools in April. District officials attributed this achievement to a protocol established the previous December and emphasized resources available for staff and families through the “We Are One” campaign.
As some educators aim to create self-sufficient support systems, Villeda is spearheading a “walking school bus” initiative at 93rd Street Elementary.
This program involves school staff and volunteers donning identifiable vests and carrying signs to escort children on specific neighborhood blocks to school.
In case of an ICE presence, the adults would be prepared to shield the children and guide them inside the school premises.
“We knew right away that walking families are going to have a lot of fear bringing the little ones to school,” Villeda remarked.
She noted that the first day back to school would look markedly different, with parents less able to accompany their children directly to their classrooms as they had previously.
At Roybal Learning Center, educators are choosing to use a pupil-free day on August 13, just before classes resume, to make home visits to families, aiming to alleviate their concerns.
Carrasco Cardona emphasized this approach by expressing the importance of reassuring families.
“It’s important because families are really worried. We just need them to know that we are a place that is safe for the students,” she explained.
The goal is for educators to affirm their commitment to protecting students’ rights and their access to due process, as many parents are grappling with fear in the current climate.
Ultimately, the proactive measures being taken by LAUSD members reflect a broader commitment to not only educating students academically but also ensuring their emotional and legal safety as the fall semester begins.
image source from：boyleheightsbeat
