Around 30 Gainesville residents – from concerned citizens, parents, teachers and students – gathered at the Matheson Museum on Tuesday to express their concern regarding immigration regulations announced by the Alachua County School Board.
The advocacy group Gainesville Immigrant Neighbor Inclusion Initiative organized a press conference at the Matheson. The lead coordinator for the group, Ethan Maia de Needell, explained how parents say they are worried about sending their children to school claiming they fear for their safety.
The Gainesville Immigrant Neighbor Inclusion Initiative got involved as soon as Alachua County Public Schools released a memo on Feb.10 issuing guidance for school-based administrators designated to interact with law enforcement officers on school campuses.
The February memo indicated U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers can enter school zones, interview children without previous parental notice and remove students from school property.
The Alachua County Public Schools memo outlines how schools should respond if law enforcement — including ICE — comes to question or remove a student. Schools must ask for ID, try to notify parents, and document everything, but they must still comply with law enforcement orders.
While ACPS doesn't track immigration status, it acknowledges that federal agents like ICE can still legally interview or remove students, even without a warrant or parental consent.
Many residents and Gainesville Immigrant Neighbor Inclusion Initiative representatives said they have tried to contact Alachua County Public Schools since the memo's release but have had no success.
Maia de Needell said he is worried of a drop in school attendance and called for the district to provide protection for its students and require immigration officers to have a warrant signed by a judge and parental permission before an adult can interview a child.
"This is our last resort," he said. "To actually put pressure on the school system to fulfill its responsibilities and protect its students."
The press conference was followed by attendees walking across the street to the Alachua County Public Schools administration building to voice their opinions at the School Board meeting.
Over 20 people waited in their seats for their turn to talk, and board members gave each speaker two minutes when normally they receive three.
Jenny Gavilanez-Slone expressed her concerns over her child being removed or questioned by ICE without her being previously notified.
"The district needs to be more transparent with these parents, the future of our country depends on it," she said.
Zoe Lackey, a former teacher, called attention to the uncertainty of the memo. She mentioned how other counties are handling the immigration situation, and asked for a change.
"We need a new protocol that gives guidance to teachers and clarity," she said. "Most importantly, ICE out of our schools and away from our children."
School board members did not respond to audience comments at the meeting, and no information on additional immigration procedures has been posted in upcoming meeting agendas.
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