School bus stops are an extension of Oregon’s public school system, according to Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction Colt Gill.
A parent accompanying a child was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at a Tigard-Tualatin School District bus stop last week. Gill sent an email Thursday to superintendents with steps schools can take to protect students and ease fears.
The Oregon Department of Education director said bus stops, like schools, should be safe, inclusive and welcoming for all students and families. He called the arrest traumatic not only for the family of the arrested parent but also for every student on the bus who witnessed it.
School staff should understand Oregon law and the protections it provides for students and their families, the email advised. Oregon’s sanctuary law prohibits using public resources to arrest people whose only offense is an immigration violation. Oregon’s privacy protection law prevents disclosure of citizenship information unless required by the law.
Gill suggested schools should develop plans to address community concerns, share information on families’ rights and offer professional learning so staff know how to respond. ODE has created a “DACAmented/Undocumented Toolkit” to help schools.
All children in Oregon are entitled to equal access to a public elementary and secondary education regardless of their citizenship or immigration status.
“ODE and the State Board of Education stand behind this entitlement,” Gill wrote.
