05-02-2025
Norwich school board considers policy to protect students from ICE
Norwich — The Board of Education next week will consider a new policy already adopted by other local districts that spells out protections for immigrant students and steps staff should take if federal immigration officers come to a school.
The proposed policy, 'Welcoming Immigration and Refugee Communities and Protection of Undocumented Students,' is already in place in the Groton and New London public schools and uses a model policy written by the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education.
CABE has been contacting member districts throughout the state to distribute the policy, proposed regulations and guidance. Kevin Saythany, Norwich school board policy committee chairman, said the board's attorney reviewed the policy and tweaked it to fit the district.
The city is considering the policy on the heels of President Donald Trump's directive that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials no longer should consider schools, churches and hospitals off limits to enforcement.
'The Board of Education believes that ICE activities in and around schools, preschool education centers and adult school facilities,' the proposed policy states, 'would constitute severe disruption to the learning environment and educational setting for students.'
The policy calls for any requests by ICE personnel to visit a school here to be referred immediately to the superintendent for review and legal consultation.
The policy further states that all school staff will treat all students equally and will not inquire about a student's immigration status or the status of their families. If any students, families or community members have questions about their immigration status, district staff are instructed to refer them to local nonprofit agencies and not to federal immigration authorities.
'We definitely care about our immigrant population, especially our own students,' Saythany said. 'We want to make sure our students get the best education possible without disruptions.'
Saythany said the board received information from CABE on the policy in December, and the policy committee introduced the draft policy at the Jan. 14 school board meeting. The board is scheduled to discuss the policy at its meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kelly Middle School.
A woke policy?
Resident and former Alderwoman Joanne Philbrick spoke at the Jan. 14 meeting objecting to the proposed policy, calling it 'woke' and 'DEI,' a reference to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. During her comments, Philbrick read a passage from the proposed policy regarding potential ICE visits to schools.
'Does that mean that you will not be following the directives of ICE?' Philbrick said. 'That you are not going to protect the rest of us from the nefarious things that are happening in this city? I take it as a personal affront. My life is as valuable as anybody else's. I am a white English-speaking person. That is not racist. That is a reality. I myself do not feel safe in this community anymore.'
Acting Superintendent Susan Lessard said school officials already have met with Police Chief Patrick Daley and school resource officers to discuss protocols if federal immigration officers ask to enter a school. Staff are trained to call the superintendent, a school resource officer and city police if that occurs.
As of this week, no ICE officers have gone to city schools.
Public schools do not record or track students' immigration status, based on a landmark 1982 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Plyler v. Doe, which struck down a Texas statute that had denied public education funding for students with undocumented status. The court found the denial to be a violation of the Constitution's 14th Amendment that guarantees equal protection of everyone under the law.
The policy also cites several Connecticut laws regarding mandatory education of children ages 5 to 16 and other relevant statutes.
The draft policy would be new for the Norwich school district, but New London's Board of Education first adopted the policy in March 2017, with virtually identical language to the current Norwich proposal and updated the policy last October. Groton Public Schools adopted the policy in September 2023.
Elaine Maynard-Adams, president of the New London Board of Education, recalled the initial discussion centered on the importance of having a set policy in the district addressing protections for immigrant students. She said the updates last fall were just technical changes.
ICE officers have been active in New London over the past two weeks, but none have gone to the city's schools, officials said.
'Given recent events, it was a really important policy to have,' Maynard-Adams said, 'and to make certain it was current and that the board was on board with this. … There are parents terrified of their children going out on the playground for recess. I would think in a place like Norwich, it would be as important as it is in New London.'
Jody Goeler, senior policy associate for CABE, said the model policy is not a state-mandated policy, and CABE has not kept track of the number of districts that have adopted the proposed model. Last week, CABE also sent a memo to member school districts advising that they review their protocols in preparation of any possible ICE visit to schools.
'While districts may not have policies, they should have procedures in place to ensure staff follow the law and continue to protect and educate their children,' Goeler wrote in an email to The Day.
