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Parent urges Conway schools to adopt formal policy after ICE rumor at high school
Summary
A Conway parent said a false rumor about ICE at the high school caused panic and asked the district to adopt a written policy requiring agencies to present judicial warrants at central office and for staff to verify warrants before approaching students; the superintendent and general counsel said current FERPA-based procedures exist and the board may formalize them.
Esau Corona, a Conway parent, said a rumor last Friday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were at the high school caused immediate fear among parents and students. “When a parent hears that kind of news, their heart drops,” he said, and he asked the district to adopt a written policy directing state or federal agencies to central office, requiring presentation of a judicial warrant signed by a judge, and instructing district experts to verify any warrant before agents approach a campus.
Mr. Black (superintendent) and Shasta Wagner (general counsel) responded that the district already follows a process designed to protect students and student information under FERPA. Wagner said administrators are instructed to contact central office and that central staff — including Eric and legal counsel — will come to the campus to assess any request; she emphasized the district will not confirm or deny whether a student is present unless the requester is authorized to have that information.
Wagner and the superintendent characterized the district’s approach as existing practice but said the board can consider formalizing policy and training as it defines how the board and administration will handle such incidents going forward. Mr. Black suggested the new board could work on clarifying procedures and include it in upcoming board training.
The board did not adopt a new written policy at the meeting but acknowledged the parent concern and directed staff to ensure clarity for the public about existing procedures.
