An Open Letter from Superintendent Dr. Stephen Zrike and Mayor Dominick Pangallo: Our Commitment to Immigrant Students and Families

Posted on: January 24, 2025

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January 24, 2025

Salem Public Schools is deeply dedicated to supporting our immigrant students and their families. This commitment reflects our core value of belonging: the belief that every member of our community is welcome, valued and respected. We recognize that this is a difficult and stressful time for our immigrant students and families. We want to reaffirm that you have our unwavering support and we are steadfastly resolved to uphold our commitments in the coming weeks and months.

Our responsibilities to immigrant students and their families in the Salem Public Schools are as follows:

We are committed to ensuring that every student who lives in Salem has access to our public schools regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or immigration status.
We do not inquire about or record any information about a student’s immigration status.
We do not coordinate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Salem Public Schools will not share personally identifiable student information with third parties, including federal immigration enforcement agencies without parent/guardian consent or a lawfully issued subpoena or court order.
If schools are contacted by ICE agents about a student, we will notify the child’s family and refer the agents to the Superintendent’s office who will be consulting with our legal counsel.
Per our policy, we only send students home with individuals who are authorized as emergency contacts. We ask that you make sure that your child’s emergency contact information is up-to-date by contacting your child’s school.
We have notified bus drivers to keep students on buses if they suspect that there is an unauthorized individual waiting at a student’s stop.
District staff and community social service partners are prepared to assist children who may be separated from their family or caregiver due to immigration enforcement.
For students who are experiencing fear, stress or anxiety, families can reach out to our counseling staff (see below).

We will provide additional guidance to building leaders and school staff next week on protecting the rights of immigrant students across the district. If families have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Family Engagement Facilitator or the City Connects Coordinators at their child’s school or the adjustment counselors at the high schools. Additionally, please find below a list of resources and organizations that can assist families who may require support:

MIRA’s Website: The Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition provides a wealth of information and resources, including tools for both immigrants and advocates.
Lawyers for Civil Rights: Information for immigrant families about their rights and links to legal resources.
Guidance on Avoiding Immigration Scams: Steps to protect individuals from fraudulent immigration services.
Emergency Planning Guide for Families: Practical advice for families to prepare for emergencies.
Know Your Rights: Published by the ACLU of Massachusetts.
Emergency Planning Guide for Parents with Uncertain Immigration Status: Information from the Office of the MA Attorney General to guide parents with uncertain immigration status who may be concerned about the care and custody of their children.

We promise to keep you posted as more information becomes available. We are honored to serve such a diverse and talented population of students across our schools. Each student and family is an asset to our community and we stand ready to support them in any way we can. We appreciate the continued opportunity to partner with you and to serve the educational needs of your child.

Sincerely,