Kerr County school leaders pushback against disruptive misinformation

In an effort to quell a spate of online rumors, the superintendents in the Ingram, Kerrville, Hunt and Center Point school districts issued a joint statement assuring parents that federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials were not on their campuses.

The move comes after parents pulled their children from campuses out of deportation fears. The district said:

“We are aware of rumors regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents allegedly being on campuses in other school districts in Texas. We understand this causes concern, and our districts’ primary responsibility is to ensure a safe and supportive learning environment so that we can continue to provide the highest quality of education for all of our students. We believe students come first, and meeting our students’ needs remains at the heart of districts’ mission. We deeply care for each of our students and families.
 
“As with all public schools in our great State of Texas, confidential student information is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and private information cannot be shared without a lawful warrant, subpoena, or permission from a student’s legal guardians. The State of Texas requires all Texas public school districts, by law, to educate all students.  While our districts continue to follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws, our priority is to provide a welcoming and supportive learning environment where all students feel safe, learn and grow.
 
“We have great relationships with our local law enforcement agencies. Our district administrators work closely with legal counsel to ensure the student rights and information are protected, in complete compliance with FERPA. We are committed to educating and caring for every student in our schools, and our schools are welcoming environments for all who enter.”

As of Thursday, about 40 people were booked into Kerr County Jail, including 14 as an agreement with Bexar County, but none faced immigration charges.

Initial rumors began circulating in a Kerrville-focused Facebook news group, claiming that ICE agents were active in Kerrville. However, local law enforcement officials stated that they were not aware of any ICE activity in the area. While it is generally expected that local authorities would collaborate with ICE on raids in Texas, such operations have so far been limited to the state’s largest cities.

On Wednesday, rumors started to spread after several law enforcement officials attended a quarterly school safety meeting at Ingram Tom Moore High School. With nearly a dozen law enforcement vehicles parked at the school, passersby assumed a raid.