Image Credit: scsk12.org
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
With the Memphis Safe Task Force making a significant number of immigration-related arrests, the Memphis-Shelby County School Systems Board (MSCS) voted to expand its bus system, creating a specialized route for immigrant children who they say are consistently missing classes because their parents are too afraid of being detained to bring them to school.
The Oct. 28 meeting reportedly drew a large crowd, with thirty-one speakers addressing the board over the course of the evening. Much discussion was centered around a resolution expanding the district’s school bus and transportation system, aiming to “help” families affected by the Memphis Safe Task Force’s increased law enforcement efforts.
Memphis educators have reportedly told school board members that their students have “just stopped showing up” and ceased coming to extracurricular activities “because they don’t want to be out of the house”, while others have relayed that Hispanic students are being pulled out of school entirely.
District leadership has acknowledged that there has not been a steep decline in attendance in the last few weeks per their attendance numbers, but immigrants in the community, particularly Hispanics, expressed fear that they or their children could be pulled over by the Task Force or detained by ICE if they send them to school.
“We’ve been seeing a lot of agencies around school areas, especially at pickup and drop-off and a lot of parents are getting scared,” said community organizer Sandra Pita. “It’s a lot of fear out there right now that they might be stopped for any reason. Maybe your taillight or some small thing. And they’re not wanting to drive to take their kids to school anymore or even walk because they feel that is some kind of threat.”
The district’s solution to the “fear and anxiety” in the community is to create additional buses designated explicitly for these students, even with confirmation by Justin Bailey, general counsel and chief legal officer for MSCS, that there have been no reports of incidents involving or relating to the task force on school property. He also emphasized that special protocols are in place if needed, but his assurance was not enough to stop the board from unanimously passing the resolution.
“We wanted to make sure we put something in place so that they can feel comfortable going to school, and they won’t be attacked or taken away from their families,” said MSCS board member Towanna Murphy. “The one thing that you don’t want is to have a child to leave school and come home and find out they don’t have any parents, that their parents are gone. And so, we are trying to prevent that no matter how hard we have to fight for it.”
The resolution hopes to curb the reported falling attendance by expanding bus eligibility to students living less than two miles from their school building and also tasks the superintendent with creating an emergency plan, including a budget, within the next month to ensure students have transportation to travel to and from school, including the expansion of bus routes.
According to data from the Tennessee Department of Education, nearly 1 in 5 students is Hispanic, almost 20%, which is a drastic increase from the 11% reported in 2014. And in local charter schools, the number of Hispanic students has more than doubled in the last decade.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
3 Responses
So the tax payers will foot the bill as the school board is aiding, abetting and protecting people in our country illegally??? There should be outrage over this.
The communist leadership in Memphis must be removed. e the People do not consent to our tax dollars being used to further the infiltration of our country by illegal aliens and their offspring. If their parents are afraid then they should be rounded up and sent back to the country from which they came because obviously they are ILLEGALS. This city is going to come into line, it is just a matter of time. When the black community wakes up to see their government cares more for illegals than them, …. I pray daily for the scales to be removed from their eyes.
What a waste of taxpayer money. What difference does it make if the illegals kids don’t attend Memphis schools? They don’t learn anything but thug culture. Certainly not reading, writing or math in the Memphis schools.
Next thing you they’ll pass a bill like California where anyone can go into the school and say they’re there to pick up a student. No proof needed or parental approval. This is to accommodate the illegals in the schools – right! Legalized kidnapping in Calif. Memphis is on it’s way.