Accomack Superintendent Clarifies Policies Regarding Federal Law Enforcement Presence on School Grounds
ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. – Accomack County Public Schools (ACPS) Superintendent Dr. Gennifer Miller has released a statement regarding policies on federal law enforcement presence on school grounds.
In a statement to WMDT, ACPS said many community members have reached out to the school district in recent weeks to request information concerning internal policy and procedures for federal law enforcement, and more specifically, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in school buildings. To ensure clear communication, a statement was released for families regarding the matter.
“I understand that recent activity on the Eastern Shore has created uncertainty and worry for some of our families, and I want you to know that we take those concerns seriously,” Dr. Miller said in Wednesday’s release. “Above all, we want every family to feel confident that when they send their child to school, ACPS is committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment. Every student in our division is important to us, and our commitment to their safety and well-being does not change based on their background or circumstances.”
ACPS says ICE officials may enter all public areas of school division property; however, they must have a signed court order or judicial subpoena to access education records or students. If an agent has a court order or judicial subpoena for education records, the school must make a reasonable effort to notify the parent or eligible student of the order or subpoena before disclosing the records.
School leaders are encouraging parents to update their emergency contact information on file with their school, as the individual(s) on file will be contacted in the case of a parent or guardian being detained by immigration officials. In some cases, ACPS School Social Workers and Accomack Social Services officials will be contacted to assist with child placement.
Additionally, ACPS has not designated, and by law cannot designate, immigration status as directory information, but parents may opt out of the disclosure of a student’s directory information by contacting their building principal.
Dr. Miller said the district’s transportation staff and school administrators will continue to follow established safety procedures as students travel to school and throughout the school day. Staff will continue to follow applicable laws, School Board policies, and established procedures regarding students and schools.
