CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — There has been no action taken by federal immigration officials at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the district’s Board of Education said Monday.
In a news release, the school board addressed fears of deportation with elevated enforcement planned under President Donald Trump. The board cites a Supreme Court case that determined that all immigrant students, including who are undocumented, have the right to free public education.
“The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education understands that recent news about potential immigration enforcement activity may be creating anxiety for some of our families, including misinformation that federal immigration action has been carried out at CMS schools; that is not the case,” the board said in a statement.
It continues: “Please know that our priority is and always will be the safety, well-being, and education of every student in our schools. We are deeply committed to serving and protecting all students so they can receive the best education possible for a promising future.”
CMS staff has re-issued districtwide guidance on students’ protected rights and how to interact with immigration officers who may come onto school property. They emphasize that immigration officials are not permitted in our schools unless they have a court order or judge-signed warrant.
The guidance includes:
- Compliance with O-ELX and accompanying regulation O-ELX/R.
- CMS employees are legally obligated to safeguard the confidentiality of personally identifiable information, including a student’s name, parents’ name, address, telephone number, migrant status, homeless status, and English language proficiency level, except if otherwise required by federal law per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
- When enrolling a student, schools cannot ask for immigration status, citizenship status, or social security number.
- School employees cannot voluntarily report the undocumented status of students to law enforcement.
- Immigration officials will be denied access to students and student records, or any information without a signed court order or properly issued warrant.
We want to assure our families and students that regardless of any federal policy change, CMS will continue to comply with federal statutes, state statutes, and Board policies that protect all of our students’ rights to a public education,” the board said.
The board says CMS will monitor if any changes at the federal level that could impact this guidance.
