Radnor Township School Board takes first step to keep ICE out of its schools
Students are welcome in Radnor Township Schools.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are not.
That was the gist of a “Welcoming Schools” policy that the Radnor Township School Board passed 8-0 for its first reading with no discussion on Tuesday, March 24. Then it will become policy if the board passes it a second time next month.
However, members of the board’s policy committee offered their thoughts at an earlier March 10 meeting.
“Regardless of your status, you’re welcome here,” said Committee Chairwoman Jannie Lau. “And you deserve all the things we provide all of our students.”
“It’s sad we have to do this because all these rights are provided for in our constitution and by the Supreme Court,” said Lau. “I do think it’s important to have this.”
The new policy would require ICE agents to present a judicial warrant rather than an administrative warrant before coming on school district grounds. And the superintendent and solicitor would also have to approve their visit.
Staff members would be told, as well.
“You only have to do what is required by law,” said Lau. “We’re human. We are trained to comply and treat authorities with a certain level of respect.”
But being respectful will be regulated by clear guidance and regulations.
“I want to make sure that people understand they only have to do what’s required by law. They shouldn’t inadvertently give their consent,” Lau said. While they should “never interfere with law enforcement in the lawful exercise of their duties. That’s just for their own safety, and I think we all agree with that.”
Staff will also be told to “protect the confidentiality of students,” such as not telling immigration officers where students live.
“So even if ICE demands addresses,” she said. “We do whatever we have to to make sure we comply with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), as we normally do anyway.”
However, the memorandum of understanding that the district has with the Radnor Police Department would trump this policy, she said.
But since the Radnor Board of Commissioners “banned Radnor Police from entering any kind of cooperation agreement with ICE,” there should not be a conflict, she said. “If that would change in the future, that would essentially gut this policy. If Radnor Police essentially becomes an agent of ICE, that would gut this policy.”
Board Member Thomas Le said the policy is “not a political statement. We’re not for or against ICE. We’re saying you just cannot conduct business on school grounds, period. You can do what you need to do, you just have to do it elsewhere. The school ground is our jurisdiction.”
Board Member Lon Rosenblum said it was important that administrators be trained in this area.
Board Member Susan Stern said the policy was “extraordinarily well written.”
“I think this is going to serve us in sending a message,” Stern said.
Solicitor Michael Kristifco said that while other school districts have passed resolutions, he believes Radnor will be one of the few districts in the region to pass a policy on ICE enforcement.
This policy will “make sure we did our part, and we don’t have any regrets if anything happens to our students,” he said.
A spokesperson for ICE declined to comment since the policy has not yet received final passage from the board.
