To Whom It May Concern:
We, the parents of students in Louisiana, and members of Our Voice (Nuestra Voz), strongly urge you to immediately investigate the passage of safe school zone policies for all students, staff, and family members who face intimidation, criminalization, and deportation under Louisiana’s current school disciplinary policies and President Donald J. Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement.
We know this is a concrete action our schools can take to support and protect valued members of our community. We write in support of safe school zones and sanctuary policies. We demand that local and state law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers cannot enter our campus without permission of our Superintendent/CEOs and without signed warrants.
We ask that you immediately develop a protocol for our schools to be free of the police presence and to serve as engaging educational facilities for our students. Like the students and staff who make our school what it is, alumni and community members too once called this campus a home and a home is supposed to be safe. A school is supposed to be an environment for learning and not an extension of the criminal justice system. We owe it to the most vulnerable members of our community to ensure that schools remain safe and enriching environments. It is our responsibility to ensure that our school remains a place that actively protects the constitutional rights and safety of our children.
If our students and family members are subject to intimidation tactics, investigation, or deportation and we remain silent, our city’s commitment to diversity, justice, and inclusion will be meaningless. Our students, our parents, our community and our schools cannot remain silent.
Awaiting your action,
Sincerely,