A substitute teacher at a Long Island high school is accused of threatening to contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement while supervising an after-school suspension class that included many Hispanic students.
During this mandatory in-school suspension at Roosevelt High School, students reportedly continued a long-standing joke of signing in with fake names when the “submarine” they were watching started shooting. Witnesses mentioned these details, noting the atmosphere in the classroom.
The substitute allegedly left the room, went to confront the vice principal, and returned claiming his actions were meant to be taken as a joke but suggested that he had the right to report the incident to ICE.
“Why would you say that?” that thought crossed Daniel Battle’s mind, especially considering the classroom demographics. He recounted how the teacher later claimed, “Oh, I didn’t mean it that way.” But, according to Battle, it was inappropriate. After hearing the threats, he immediately went to report the incident to the principal.
Battle expressed that he felt it was essential to stand up, not just for himself, but also for his classmates.
Raquel Medrano, Battle’s mother, voiced her support for her son and highlighted the existing fears among students due to past encounters with ICE.
She reflected on the increased anxiety these comments could induce, especially among families like hers, saying, “Should I go to school today? What if I don’t come home?” Medrano added that while she was born in the US, the family’s appearance had often led to such concerns.
In a letter to families, Dr. Sean Wightman, the superintendent, confirmed the substitute teacher has been removed from duty until further review. The school administration acknowledged that discussions around immigration enforcement could be deeply distressing for students and parents and pledged to offer counseling.
The district is currently looking into the allegations regarding the substitute teacher’s behavior.
Prior to this incident, several students from Roosevelt High School had been detained by ICE. For instance, 18-year-old Alvaro Velasquez was apprehended weeks before his graduation. Originally from Guatemala, he entered the United States at 16 after losing his mother and was described as an exemplary student by Wightman. Despite having no criminal record, he agreed to return voluntarily to Guatemala in September.
