Schools are supposed to be safe areas where children can learn and thrive, but in Dallas County, Texas, a high school staffer reportedly threatened a 14-year-old Latino boy with deportation because he failed to call him “sir,” telling him that “even though you are a citizen, Trump is working on a law where he can deport you, too, because of your mom's status.”
His mom, who’s here legally but declined to identify herself out of fear of retaliation, said the Barack and Michelle Obama Ninth Grade Center staffer also showed the boy a coin emblazoned with, “Office of Intelligence” and “ICE.” When she went to the school to confront the staffer, he claimed he threatened the boy because he apparently felt disrespected because the boy responded with “yeah,” instead of “yes, sir,” to him.
The staffer has been placed on administrative leave as the school investigates. “Lancaster ISD does not support nor will we tolerate behavior that promotes division,” school officials said in a statement. “Our district takes pride in being an inclusive district that puts students first regardless of their background. It is our goal to ensure a quality education for all students and a safe learning environment."
But this was no mistake, this was a threat directed at a child, and he’s now terrified. "You're basically scaring him," his mom said. "Now, he thinks I'm going to get deported. Now, he thinks he might get deported.” It’s additional trauma on a state that just weeks ago endured a deadly, anti-Latino attack that took the lives of 22 people. But rather than taking real steps to address this hatred, Gov. Greg Abbott has refused to stop his racist rhetoric.
Regarding the boy, “there's a school board meeting Thursday that the teen's parents say they plan to attend,” CBS News continued. But it’s also more than just about one boy, it’s about an entire community. “This is what I’ve been trying to get through in my work, how pervasive this hate is now,” tweeted journalist Adrian Carrasquillo. “That’s why when Texas Latinos are telling me they’ve instituted new security procedures at their Latino [organization] but would rather not tell me what they are, their point is crystal clear.”