JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Guidance sent out to Duval school principals directing them to cooperate with ICE agents if they ask to speak with students on school campuses is making the rounds on social media.
According to the district, this guidance was shared with principals on Wednesday and reflects existing district policy.
Principals are directed to allow agents on publicly accessible areas of school campuses without a warrant, “just the same as they would allow a JSO officer”.
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It also indicates if an agent asks to speak with an individual student, principals should contact the student’s parent or guardian and remain with the student while they speak to the agent.
“Every child who is in Duval County Public Schools or is in any school in the United States, regardless of their immigration status, has fourth and fifth amendment rights and fourteenth amendment rights to due process and they should be advised of their legal rights if they’re going to be interrogated, especially when they’re at school,” said Jacksonville Juvenile Law Attorney Shannon Schott.
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Schott raised concerns on social media after seeing the screenshots of the guidance.
“When you think about the situation of a child who is without a parent, who is with school administrators who are being mandated to cooperate, you’ve got ICE or JSO interrogating them in probably a small setting, that’s very intimidating for a child, especially a child who has English as a second language,” said Schott.
The policy does detail some protections, directing principals not to provide lists of English Language Learning students upon request.
But when it comes to ICE agents asking to enter English Language Learning classrooms or requesting records on a particular student, principals are simply instructed to “contact legal”.
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“We commit to working cooperatively with law enforcement acting in their official capacity,” a DCPS spokesperson told Action News Jax in an emailed statement. “Additionally, we will continue to respect and ensure the rights of students and parents under FERPA regulations.”
Schott argued at the end of the day, questions over immigration status should stay out of the classroom.
“Federal agents should not be interrogating children over civil offenses in a school setting,” said Schott.
Action News Jax contacted the Florida ICE office and asked under what circumstances an agent might enter a school or ask to speak with a student at a school.
We’re still waiting for a response.
Read the full guidance below:
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