Little Rock, Arkansas – As communities around the nation experience a shift after the authorization of immigration officers to make arrests in places of worship and schools, a Catholic school in Little Rock is attempting to allay fears.
Concern has increased over the past week, so Little Rock’s St. Theresa Catholic Church and School principal, Kristy Dunn, said she wants to reassure parents.
Dunn remarked, “There’s just a tension and an uncertainty in the air.” “It never changes that we are here for our people.”
The announcement follows the Trump Administration’s lifting of restrictions that barred Customs and Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from enforcing laws in or close to “sensitive” locations, such as places of worship or schools.
“The community here is concerned about the fact that there are no longer any safe havens. The majority of students at our school are Latino,” Dunn stated.
Because their church and school are so close to one another, Father Stephen Gadberry and his team have received training on how to handle an ICE agent knocking on their door.
Gadberry stated, “We still have legal protections and rights that allow us to demand appropriate certification and documentation for these individuals who may be permitted to do this.”
More than 200 pupils, ranging from Pre-K to eighth grade, attend the school, according to Dunn, who is dedicated to maintaining the privacy of all information.
“We are rebuilding and reinforcing the trust relationship between our students and their parents at school,” she stated.
Dunn said there are solutions available to families who don’t feel safe sending their children to school.
“It is still important to come to school, but if you need a ride, we can help with ridesharing. If you need more, we can help with that,” Dunn stated.
Dunn and Gadberry express their desire to allay community worries, particularly those of parents.
“A lot of people at our church and school are going through a difficult time right now, but we are a community of hope,” Gadberry stated.
