
Interim Eastmont Superintendent Addresses Concerns Regarding Schools & Immigration Enforcement
In the wake of President Donald Trump's executive orders calling for the deportation of undocumented immigrants, several local school districts are answering responses of concern.
"It's very concerning for our families and staff," says Eastmont School District Interim Superintendent Spencer Taylor. "There's a lot of fear and lack of information out there in our community and we are dedicated to providing the safest environment possible for all of our kids. When you take it down to a family level, our families in the community are worried about being split apart from their kids. So I've heard about families making plans for what to do should things change. But I haven't heard about any immigration enforcement people showing up at our schools, it's all just been a lot of worry and speculation to this point."
Trump's orders came early last week, only one day after he was inaugurated for the second time since 2017.
Taylor says despite his high-ranking office, Trump's orders do not supersede the influence of numerous laws related to immigration and schools in Washington State and throughout the U.S.
"We do have a presidential action and it's pretty clear what the president wants to do. But we also have current state and federal laws in place, as well as Supreme Court cases and board policies to consider. So we're going to continue to follow those policies until we get some clarity on exactly what the presidential action means when compared to any laws that might conflict with his orders."

In addition to a certain lack of legal clarity involving Trump's mandate, Taylor says current laws also do not allow the district to exclude a child from enrolling in school at any grade level, even if they are an undocumented resident.
"We cannot ask for any student's status as a citizen or anything like that. The law is quite clear regarding that. So we will continue to enroll students regardless of their documentation status and will provide them with the best education we possibly can."
In the event immigration agents do ask for assistance from the district, Taylor says there are specific guidelines that school officials must follow which are required by law.
"If immigration enforcement does show up at our schools, we cannot give them access to students unless they have the proper warrant. Our administration knows that if this ever happens, then they need to contact me so we can go through that process together to make sure we follow all the steps correctly."
Taylor adds that heretofore, interactions with immigration officials have been rare for the district.
"This is my eighteenth year as an administrator with the Eastmont School District and I can't think of a single instance when we've ever been put in the middle of an immigration enforcement situation. We've certainly heard about it through some of our families over the years, but during my time here it's never been connected with the schools, it's always been a separate issue."
Since Trump's decree for sweeping deportations and broader enforcement of federal immigration laws, school districts across both the state and nation have been busy addressing concerns and offering information and clarifications regarding their role in the issue.
Washington Superintendent of Public Schools Chris Reykdal released a 13-page document regarding the issue to students and families across the state last week, and says legal challenges will likely follow if the federal government decides to use the state's school system to assist in the arrest of undocumented immigrants.
Trump's executive orders did, in theory, lift longstanding directives which banned immigration enforcement activities at sensitive places, such as schools and churches.
According to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, about 2% or roughly 21,000 of the state's student population is comprised of migrants.
Reykdal says his office is keeping a watchful eye for any district's in the state that might prematurely assist federal officials with immigration enforcement.
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Gallery Credit: Madison Troyer
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