A Boston-area school district has decided not to change its policy on the residency of incoming students after immigrant advocacy groups called for the change, with administrators saying critics' claims are “simply not true.”
Public schools in the town of Saugus, 10 miles north of Boston, recently faced pressure from two advocacy groups to change policy because of concerns that an influx of immigrants into Massachusetts is straining the state and its resources.
The Lawyers' Association for Civil Rights and Massachusetts Advocates for Children sent a letter to Saugus school administrators arguing that the town's requirement to fill out the census and other “overly stringent residency or identification requirements” violate the state and federal constitutions.
The policy, which would take effect before the 2023-2024 school year, stipulates that students must be “legal residents with a physical address in Saugus” and that parents must verify their identity with a passport or government-issued photo ID, according to the advocacy group.
The policy came just days after Democratic Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency in response to the influx of migrants.
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Migrants line the floor at Boston Logan International Airport. (Fox News/File)
The Gulf state is unique in its status as a “right to housing” state, guaranteeing housing to families who lose their homes.
Since Governor Healey declared a state of emergency, Saugus schools have admitted 23 students from the shelter in place system.
But at a recent board meeting, school administrators said they would not change course, and board chairman Vincent Serino said the news and “immigration stories” were false, according to the board. Boston Herald.
Fox News Digital reached out to Serino and other managers for comment but did not receive a response.
As a result, the state imposed Evacuation shelter restrictions And they are calling for the repeal of the Gov. Michael Dukakis-era law in response to claims that the law is a major reason the crisis is so severe.
The advocacy groups said in the letter that the policy, particularly the census mandate, exceeds academic achievement limits and “disproportionately harms immigrant families.”
The school policy also includes an exemption for students covered by a federal homeless assistance law spearheaded in 1987 by former Rep. Stewart McKinney, a Connecticut Republican.
“No child who actually lives in Saugus will be denied access to school because of their immigration status or their immigration status. [their parents or guardians]” the policy concludes in that regard.
But in their demand letter, the advocacy groups argued that the policy, particularly the census mandate, oversteps academic limits and “disproportionately harms immigrant families.”
They also said “anti-immigrant sentiment” made foreigners less likely to take part in the census due to “stigma” and “fear of the consequences of immigration.”
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Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for both organizations but did not receive a response. Fox News Digital also reached out to town officials and state Sen. Brendan Crichton (D-Essex) for comment.
Elsewhere in the state, town officials in Norfolk reportedly temporarily ruled that migrant children living in a converted former state prison would not be allowed to attend local schools.
The decision was later reversed, according to the Boston Globe.
Healey appeared to blame the federal government for the crisis, saying Congress “repeatedly failed to act” after imposing 90-day shelter-in-place restrictions.
“This new length of stay policy will strengthen efforts to connect families to the resources and services they need to transition into more stable housing and contribute to the workforce,” Healey said. POLITICO.
