Issue 12 – SPS Schools Shelter In Place Due To ICE Reports
Credible reports of ICE near SPS campuses triggered an immediate response.
by Robert Cruickshank
Six campuses of the Seattle Public Schools issued a shelter-in-place order on Tuesday, January 20 in response to reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were spotted near those campuses.
Interim SPS Superintendent Fred Podesta emailed the public late Tuesday afternoon to confirm the shelter-in-place reports: “Out of an abundance of caution, many schools remained in this status for the entirety of the school day. Aki Kurose ended its shelter-in-place posture at noon, and Cleveland ended its shelter-in-place posture after lunch.
SPS Safety and Security responded and have not seen any ICE presence but will remain on alert.”
It does not appear that anyone was taken by ICE near those campuses on Tuesday. Community members remain on alert, and have already been preparing for the possibility of ICE showing up at or near schools.
The campuses that went into a shelter-in-place were Mercer International and Aki Kurose middle schools, Cleveland STEM High School, Maple Elementary, Dearborn Park International, and Beacon Hill International.
The Seattle Times reported that “Aki Kurose registrar Katie Jolgren said the middle school was notified by Seattle Public Schools that ICE agents may be trying to draw out families who were warned of ICE activity and were coming to school to pick up their children.”
In addition, Roosevelt High School sent out an email to families on Tuesday afternoon about reports of possible ICE presence at that school:
“This morning at about 7:25, a staff member observed two vehicles in the parking lot, parked in opposite directions from each other. The staff member took a photo of these vehicles and one of them approached her asking why she took a photo. The man in the vehicle told her they weren’t here to cause any harm.
Shortly after, the vehicles left.”
Many students joined protests that were already planned for the afternoon, taking place on Capitol Hill and across the state.
Tuesday’s events took place against the backdrop of ICE’s invasion of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, which has caused schools to close entirely and go to remote learning. It also occurs shortly after three community members were grabbed by ICE in North Seattle.
Seattle Public Schools Board Director Vivian Song told The Bulletin that while today’s events were concerning, many Seattle residents, especially those with immigrant families, had been preparing for this for a long time.
“Today’s events are a good reminder to be aware and vigilant,” Song said, “and know that our schools have plans to protect student safety, even if we cannot share every aspect of those plans. Our school staff deserve thanks for responding quickly and with deep care for our students and families.”
Song also felt it was important for families and students to continue sending their kids to school, until directed otherwise.
Seattle is on edge, and understandably so. ICE continues to operate with total impunity. On the same day as six SPS campuses went into a shelter-in-place, Washington’s Senator Patty Murray announced that Senate Democrats would vote to continue funding the government, ending hope that her caucus would try and use that vote as leverage to force ICE to stop terrorizing communities.
It is also important to be responsible when sharing information about possible ICE sightings. Tuesday’s shelter-in-place orders were in response to SPS staff sharing evidence with school leaders about suspicious activity, and the schools kept their communities informed about what was going on. This helped cut down on rumors.
One popular and well-regarded resource for checking on rumored ICE activity is People Over Papers, a national map that shows reports of where ICE has been seen and whether those reports are verified. Reports must have supporting evidence and be approved by a moderator before being added to the map. Seattle residents are advised to check this site first before sharing a report of ICE activity.
Many school communities have already held training sessions for parents, students, and neighbors about what to do if ICE is spotted. Some resources include:
Tuesday’s events were not a false alarm. Instead, they were a reminder of the need for all of us to be protect ourselves, our neighbors, and our communities from the threat of a rogue government determined to intimidate and terrorize us.
The threat is very real. Thankfully, so too is the response, from SPS and the community as a whole, standing together to protect our kids and their families from harm.
