I write today to acknowledge possible concern in Catholic school communities in the wake of the Trump Administration’s executive orders on immigration that were issued earlier this week. Some public school systems have announced over the past few days that they do not expect to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions unless supported by a court order. Recent news articles on the subject may be frightening for students and families, and we want to be ready to help our young people process and understand these events.
While I am unaware of any activity involving ICE and Catholic schools in the Diocese of Worcester, I wish to remind everyone of the operational procedures already in place to protect your child and their personal information. These are similar to procedures you may be hearing about in the public school systems: We do not ask for the immigration status of a student or their family. We do not share student records with anyone, except in rare instances when a court order or parental/guardian consent is provided. We do not coordinate with ICE. We will not allow ICE agents access to our school facilities without a criminal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge. We do not release a student to the custody of anyone other than the legal guardian of record according to that child’s file or a person identified by the legal guardian’s notice in advance.
In Catholic schools, our most important responsibilities are to care for your child during the school day and protect the privacy of their personal records.
The Catholic church has a demonstrated history of welcoming and advocating for immigrant populations to support one another and to pray together as a community. Our Catholic schools have always welcomed students and families from all walks of life. Indeed, Catholic schools have historically played an important role in helping immigrant populations integrate into American life. You can expect that to continue.
If you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact your child’s principal or contact me directly at 508-929-4320 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Blessings, David Perda, Ph.D. Superintendent of Schools