Washington teacher placed on leave after encouraging people to ‘report illegal aliens’
An elementary school teacher in Washington state has been placed on administrative leave after sharing information about how to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to “report illegal aliens.”
The unnamed educator, who taught at Keene-Riverview Elementary School in Prosser, Washington, shared the information in a Facebook post that could be seen as “hostile” and “offensive,” according to The Yakima Herald-Repubic. The post led to “angry and concerning” phone calls and visits from “concerned citizens and parents,” the school district said.
The teacher’s post was in response to the nationwide “Day Without Immigrants” protest on Thursday.
“[ICE] will need to know names, locations (either work place or residence) and any other specific information you can provide,” the teacher wrote, adding, “If this offended you in anyway, do me a favor and unfriend my American ass!!!”
After complaints surfaced, the school district decided to put the teacher on leave.
“Due to possible safety and security concerns, as well as concern for disruption of the school environment, this teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation of this incident by the district,” the Prosser School District said in a press release on the matter.
The school district’s board of directors worked to distance themselves from the teacher’s words.
“Please be assured that the views expressed by this teacher on her personal Facebook page do not in any way reflect the views, beliefs or values of the Prosser School District or its administration or Board of Directors,” a statement read.
The Facebook post was first published on Wednesday, one day before the protests began. The demonstrations were in response to President Donald Trump’s hardline position on illegal immigration.
Since becoming president, Trump has signed an executive order moving forward with the construction of a U.S.-Mexico border wall, signed an order to significantly expand the government’s priorities regarding deportation of illegal immigrants and ordered the freeze of travel into the U.S. from seven Muslim-majority countries. The last of those three actions has been halted by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
During the Thursday protests, several Prosser-area workers closed their businesses in support of the anti-Trump demonstrations, the Herald-Republic reported.
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