Friday morning, a mix of masked and unmasked ICE shock-troops attempted to abduct the school nurse at Cooke Elementary School, located in the densely populated Adams Morgan section of DC. Workers at the school intervened, demanding a warrant and holding up their phones and ICE scurried off without making their arrest. They then issued a statement, to cover their humiliation, that they weren’t there to actually “detain” anybody. This is clearly contradicted by videos, witnesses, and a statement by DCPS headquarters. ICE was there for an abduction, people ran out and confronted them, so they left. Adams Morgan then saw a march and a community meeting afterwards, but school workers, parents and kids are shaken. Imagine how shaken if the school nurse had been disappeared. 

Entering schools is clearly beginning, but has yet to take root as a regular practice. To protect our kids and our colleagues, every school needs a plan as to what to do when ICE comes calling. The guidance from the schools’ unions – in the five cities where I have spoken to people – has varied dramatically from “last line of defense” to “piss poor.” Either way, school based plans where different people have different roles – whether it is to alert colleagues, to take video, to call attorneys, to alert a parent network, to yell at the union if applicable, and to demand warrants from what is clearly an extra-judicial force – are essential [everything I just mentioned is absolutely legal]. I can’t believe we’re inflicting this trauma on elementary schools, as if the daily challenges of public education aren’t challenging enough. Link to article in comments. Folks who feel safe enough to do so, should come to this press conference next Friday in Mt. Pleasant, a traditionally El Salvadoran neighborhood walking distance from Cooke ES. It’s also a gentrifying, liberal neighborhood. Time for white folks to show up for their neighbors.