[On] January 8 it was announced that federal
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will be ended for El Salvadorian immigrants
beginning in 2019. Many members of
our community immigrated from El Salvador under TPS. These are valued individuals who enrich our ARPS community
in countless ways.
Since the announcement that TPS will be ending, we have
heard from families who are concerned about their children’s status in our
district. We want to ensure
families that, consistent with our past practice, our core beliefs, and
established law, we will continue to enroll and serve every child living in our
district who chooses to attend our schools, without regard to their immigration
status.
The case law on this topic is very clear and can be found in
the United States Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe from 1982. Stemming from that decision, federal
guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of
Education states that:
All children in the United States are entitled to equal
access to a basic public elementary and secondary education regardless of their
actual or perceived race, color, national origin, citizenship, immigration
status, or the status of their parents/guardians.
Nothing in yesterday’s announcement alters our policy of providing
equal access to all students or our commitment to providing all children with
the academic and emotional support that will allow them to flourish and become
contributing members of our community.
Sincerely,
Michael Morris
Superintendent of Schools
Jean Fay
Amherst-Pelham Education Association President
