This week, the Ohio Education Association (OEA), which represents over 100,000 public school employees, joined two local Columbus-area teachers unions in denouncing the recent surge in immigration enforcement by ICE in cities across the country.
The organizations say ICE's operations are interfering with the education of students at schools nationwide, including Ohio, and claim federal agents are intimidating minority communities, leading to a rise in absences among immigrant students.
In the wake of the shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good in her car by an immigration enforcement agent, pubic outrage over ICE and the federal government's tactics has spread nationwide. Last week, Minneapolis Public Schools canceled classes following an altercation between border patrol agents and residents outside a local high school. OEA says ICE's interference with education is unacceptable.
“The Ohio Education Association strongly opposes any presence or enforcement actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in or around Ohio’s public schools. Schools must remain safe, welcoming spaces where every student — regardless of immigration status — can learn, grow, and thrive without fear," a statement from OEA reads.
'Schools are meant to be safe spaces'
The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers (CFT) is echoing similar concerns. Clayton Adams, an Aiken High School special education teacher and vice president of organizing for the teachers' union, says CFT has spoken out against ICE before and maintains the agency's operations are negatively impacting local schools.
Adams claims that many immigrant students and English language learners at Aiken haven't been showing up lately because they worry about their safety.
"We've seen a very serious drop-off in attendance from our migrant students," Adams told WVXU Friday. "We, the teachers, feel like our schools, legally and ethically, are meant to be safe spaces for all students because public schools are required to educate all children regardless of their immigration status."
Nearly a quarter of all students at Aiken High School are Hispanic or multiracial, and about 1 in 10 students at the school are English learners, according to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Those numbers are even higher at other public schools in Cincinnati, like Western Hills High School and Gilbert A. Dater High School.
These students are not only missing lessons. Adams says they're missing out on social events, athletics and activities outside the classroom as well.
"We also see our migrant students participating less in extracurriculars. They're avoiding school events. That's problematic, and it's impacting the kids. This is hurting children that just want to go to school," he said.
The drop in attendance also is hurting teachers. Adams says the school district eliminated two English as a second language teaching positions this school year because they students they once served aren't there anymore.
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