Mukilteo has a message for DACA families.
To Mukilteo School District families, staff, and the community:
Many of our students, families, and staff members are experiencing a great deal of anxiety because of decisions that are being considered about immigration. In February, Superintendent Dr. Marci Larsen issued a statement to assure our students and their families that nothing is going to change in the way that they will be treated in our schools.
With the announcement that there is a proposal to eliminate the program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, our statement remains the same. It is our mission to provide for the success of every student. We are committed to educating all of our children, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, country of origin, or immigration status.
The Mukilteo School District serves a very diverse group of students and families. People are often surprised to learn that a total of 91 different languages are spoken in the homes of our students. We value the rich diversity that we have in our schools and consider it a gift to be educating students from around the world.
To be clear, a student’s immigration status has absolutely nothing to do with any of the services he or she can receive at school. In fact, federal law and a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court actually forbids school districts from even asking a student about his or her immigration status.
What’s more, we have a moral and legal obligation to serve all children. The Washington State Constitution says that it is the state’s paramount duty to provide “for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction of preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.”
As always, we will do everything within our power to make sure that all of our students and their families are welcomed and respected at our schools, and that all children will be safe, valued and honored while in our care.
September 6, 2017
Everett Schools