No reports of ICE activity on campuses, Memphis-Shelby County Schools confirms

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board of Education met Tuesday for the first time since the controversial firing of ex-Superintendent Marie Feagins.

Tuesday’s meeting was the first full school board meeting with interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond at the helm. Richmond began his first superintendent’s report by expressing gratitude for being selected to lead the district and being put in the top leadership position for the district.

“I want to first acknowledge and thank all of you, our board members, educators, administrators and staff, for your dedication to student success and achievement. It is because of your leadership and collective efforts that we continue to move forward, even in the face of uncertainty,” Richmond said.

The board also heard from MSCS General Counsel Justin Bailey, who gave an update on the measures the district has taken regarding recent immigration activity.

Bailey said guidance has been given to principals and teachers regarding how to respond to any immigration law enforcement actions on school grounds. Bailey said reassurance has also been given to parents that the district will do “everything legally permissible to protect students civil and privacy rights under the law, while minimizing disruption to the school environment and also in continuing to…encourage attendance.”

In addition to the communication with staff and parents, the office of general counsel established a dedicated phone line for principals and school staff to contact for assistance in responding to any communications or school visits by immigration officials. The school district website has been updated to include information for students, staff and families concerned about immigration enforcement to access.

Bailey said as of Tuesday, there have been no reports of immigration activity on school campuses.

The office has also been in communication with U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat representing Memphis, and the U.S. Attorney’s office for guidance and direction over immigration activity.

Reports of mass absences due to ICE activity in Memphis have circulated since the Trump administration cracked down on immigration enforcement. Richmond said he has been in communication with teachers and English language learner teachers asking them to reassure members of the immigrant community about the steps the district has taken to protect students.

“As we’ve looked at the data… there isn’t really any significant impact that we can say has come directly from our immigrant students as we’ve looked at data over the past month or so,” Richmond said in regards to truancy rates increasing due to ICE enforcement.

Brooke Muckerman is a politics and education reporter for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at brooke.muckerman@commercialappeal and 901-484-6225.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis schools have not seen ICE activity on capuses, attorney says

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