Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1539593
Our Union Calls on Colleges to Stop Cooperating with Homeland Security CTA State Council in early June took a stand against the targeting of college students for exercising their First Amendment rights and expressing political opinions. Our union is calling on all colleges to cease and desist from cooperating with Department of Homeland Security to deport students for their political views. This came in response to numerous international students nationwide being abducted and detained by ICE agents for their political views with the cooperation of the institutions they attend. WETA members and students distributed food to Whittier families in need. " Start organizing. Focus on one aspect that's going to meet the needs of the students with ICE raids happening. Is it providing food? Is it walking students to school bus stops safely? Anything you can do to support students, big or small, is important." —Vogel, WETA " Partner with other unions who might have more resources than you, like NUHW and SEIU, to take action and make a bigger statement." —Rogers, GTA " Ask your school board to adopt policy that establishes protections for our immigrant students and families. Reach out to local community organizations that have experience with immigrant rights defense and access to regional rapid response networks, so you don't have to figure out everything yourself and can harness the resources that exist in our communities." —Weinberg, SDEA " Advocate and support legislative work to protect immigrant communities. We need to make sure we have bills that protect our schools — even if schools in your area are not under threat , ours are, and we're going to need support from folks to make those calls to our elected officials." —Miranda, UTLA Ways to Support Our Immigrant Students and Families positive interactions," says Vogel. "We worked it out as a drive-through, so they would drive up and we would put food in their trunks. We did it in the school parking lot so that if ICE came, they couldn't come in the parking lot because they're not allowed on campus." Vogel says that this school year, WETA is organizing and planning on how best to collaborate with district admin, the school board and other organizations to help and protect their school community. "is is what we're here for — our students and families," Vogel says. "If there's a lack of stability in the family because of these outside pressures, then the child is not going to be successful. If there's financial hardship, food disparities and fear at home, that student isn't going to be able to learn. It's part of caring for the community and the people we serve." 20 cta.org Feature