As has been already said by a number of school districts around the country, our schools are and will continue to be safe zones for every child and every family member. Under federal law, it is the right of every child, regardless of immigration status, to access a free public K-12 education and Godfrey-Lee Public Schools welcomes and supports all students.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, commonly known as “FERPA,” prohibits school districts from providing third parties, such as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.), information contained in student records.

I have directed our school administrators and staff to refer any inquiries from any federal, state or local law enforcement officials regarding student records and/or the immigration status of any of our students and their families directly to me. It is my intention to uphold the federal protections that already exist. No confidential access to any student records will be allowed without a judicial warrant, subpoena or court order, unless authorized by the student’s parent(s) or required by law. I will consult the district’s legal counsel in the event any inquiries regarding immigration status are made by outside agencies.

Our district has made a commitment to a quality education for all students, which includes a stable learning environment, the preservation of classroom hours for educational instruction, and the requirement of school attendance. My message here is to reinforce a sense of safety and security so that our classrooms and our schools will continue to be safe learning spaces for every child.