Parents, teachers press DPSCD to strengthen sanctuary protections after ICE activity
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Summary
Teachers, parents and community groups urged the Detroit Public Schools Community District board to expand and operationalize its 2019 sanctuary-district policy with mandatory staff training, clearer protocols for ICE incidents off campus and stronger communications; Superintendent Beatty acknowledged concerns and pledged follow-up.
Dozens of parents, teachers, union leaders and students urged the Detroit Public Schools Community District board on Nov. 11 to strengthen the district's sanctuary-district policy and provide staff training and clearer protocols after repeated community reports of immigration-enforcement activity.
Multiple speakers described rising ICE activity in Southwest Detroit and elsewhere in the city and said the 2019 sanctuary policy is a starting point but needs operational detail. Kristen Shuttle, a teacher in the district, said other large districts require mandatory "know your rights" trainings for staff, better legal-support referrals and specific building-level action plans. "Why can't we ensure that ICE can't board our school buses? Why can't we train everyone? We're educators," Shuttle said.
Lakia Wilson Lumpkins, president of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, told the board she supports the district's sanctuary stance but asked for an audit of ASD and special-education classroom sizes and for sensory-friendly accommodations; she said some classrooms are over-enrolled and staff are burning out.
Community organizer Steve Khan urged the board to support community mobilization and "stop-ICE" drills and to let schools be part of a joint defense strategy with staff and community members. Speakers asked the district to translate handouts into Spanish, Arabic and Bengali, to provide legal-referral lists and to create building-level "sanctuary teams" empowered with clear procedures.
Superintendent Dr. Vidi Beatty responded that the district would translate the handout materials, is reviewing enhancements to the sanctuary policy with administrative staff, and will pursue follow-up with community groups. He also committed to investigating specific allegations raised during public comment and to provide reports to the board.
Next steps: Community groups requested mandatory training, clearer bus and outdoor-area protections, and stronger communications. The superintendent said administrative staff would work with the board to consider policy updates and operational changes.
