Palatine school principal addresses concerns over immigration arrest near campus
Families of students at Gray M. Sanborn Elementary School in Palatine received an email Wednesday from Principal Angela Gallegos seeking to reassure following an immigration-related arrest near campus earlier this week.
Resident Jennie Lussow captured video of two masked men, armed with guns and wearing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-branded vests, detaining a man Monday afternoon at the corner of Colfax and Schiller streets, about two blocks from the school.
In her email to families, Gallegos noted that federal authorities do not communicate or coordinate their activities with local law enforcement.
“As a result of that fact, the Palatine Police Department did not inform us that ICE was in the area and I am unaware if (police) knew of their presence.” Gallegos wrote.
Police inform Palatine Township Elementary School District 15 and the school if a lockdown is warranted, but authorities did not advise Sanborn to secure the school on Monday, she added.
Federal agents were not on school property, and there was no threat to the safety of students or staff, Gallegos wrote.
The security and well-being of students and families are the school’s highest priorities and parents to visit the district’s website to learn about its protocols related to immigration enforcement, she added.
One parent shared her concerns about the district’s response with District 15 school board members Wednesday.
Lauren Dudal, who e-mailed the board and Superintendent Laurie Heinz about Monday’s events, said the email from Gallegos Wednesday came a little too late.
“It seemed like a missed opportunity to be proactive rather than reactive,” she said.
Dudal she said it would have been helpful if District 15 and Sanborn had been notified while the episode was happening.
“Unfortunately, this incident has had a real emotional and social impact on our kids in our community, not just because it happened in our neighborhood near our school, but also because ICE has been visible in our neighborhood and our street and our community for months,” she added.
Board members did not respond to the remarks.