Mercer Island School District (MISD) Superintendent Fred Rundle connected with families, students and the community in a letter on Feb. 3 regarding the district’s roles and responsibilities to support students regardless of their citizenship, nationality or immigration status.

In hoping to help clarify those roles, Rundle initially sent a message to district staff on Jan. 24, the same week that President Trump signed multiple executive orders related to immigration and citizenship.

On those actions reaching into the schools realm, Rundle wrote on Feb. 3: “Recent executive orders coming out of the White House from President Trump and his administration regarding education created confusion and uncertainty for Washington’s schools, including Mercer Island School District.”

From the get-go, the state of Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) released guidance on state and federal protections for immigrant students in Washington’s K–12 public schools, according to a press release.

“As we monitor the actions of the new federal administration, I want to be clear: Washington state is and will remain a state that is unequivocally committed to supporting all of our students and their families,” said State Superintendent Chris Reykdal.

Some of the guidance for public schools in the OSPI document includes: Enrolling all students, regardless of immigration or citizenship status, and providing services for them; in the student privacy sphere, being aware that schools have no legal authority to enforce U.S. immigration laws; and having a policy in place for responding to immigration enforcement actions impacting school campuses. To view the robust 14-page document, visit: https://tinyurl.com/4we6fwfm

Addressing the executive order titled Protecting the American People Against Invasion, Rundle noted: “I have directed our MISD school staff to contact a school administrator should anyone wish to communicate with a student (other than a parent or guardian), enter the school (other than volunteers, families, and approved vendors), or conduct an arrest. This is not any different than our normal practice.”

Rundle also delved into another executive order titled Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schools.

“At this point, I am concerned with the uncertainty and fear this is creating for many of our students, especially when coupled with the recent rollback of the Title IX interpretations to 2020,” he wrote.

Rooting back to the district’s values, Rundle said that students must feel safe, supported and included while benefiting from an academically challenging and rigorous environment.

“It is our responsibility as educators to create this space for our students, and we should model the same across our Mercer Island community,” he wrote.

Following a challenging January, Rundle said that he eyes February with hope and highlighted several school and community opportunities for celebration: Black History Month; National School Counselor Week (Feb. 3-7); Presidents’ Day (Feb. 17); Ramadan (Feb. 28 to March 29); and Rare Disease Day (Feb. 28). He also praised Mercer Island High School (MIHS) Drama’s production of “Puffs,” and the successful Islander Middle School Mathcounts team and students and staff of the MIHS creative arts magazine Pegasus.

To peruse Rundle’s full letter, visit: https://www.mercerislandschools.org/