With many immigrant parents expressing fear of sending their children to school next week, Los Angeles Unified has set a $1 million goal in donations of the “Comfort Fund” for families affected by the federal immigration attack, Supt. Alberto Carvalho announced on Tuesday.
Funds donated to the LAUSD Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting the school system, “covers the needs of A to Z.
“We’re talking about support systems for children who have to go to court and employees,” Carvalho said while visiting two families who live near Sheridan Elementary School in Boyle Heights. “Beyond the school bus, the additional transportation costs that families may need. We don’t limit that. We want to hear what the challenge is and what the difficulty is.
Carvalho can provide food aid from other sources. “We have a very viable partner who already offers to provide food through the information we provide.”
The district estimates it employs at least 300 staff who lack citizenship. Everything works legally with temporary protected status, for immigrants who were at risk in their home countries, or for immigrants who have been postponed due to the arrival of children, for immigrants who arrived as children. Employees risk losing their right to live and work in the United States.
The Carvalho pledge comes last weekend, in addition to measures already taken, including trying to establish a safe zone around campus, as teachers’ union members came together last weekend demanding they do more to help immigrant families in the country’s second largest school district.
At the union gathering, School Board Chairman Scott Schmerelson, who attended as a spectator, agreed to the union’s intention to support affected families and employees as much as possible, saying district officials would work with Labour leaders.
The impact of the immigrant raid will present a new wildcard to attendance concerns as the start of August 14th of the school year approaches.
Craig Cipes, principal at Sheridan Elementary School, said the school is almost entirely Latino and almost all families are low-income. He said economic activity in the neighborhood has declined sharply.
“We have a family that is afraid to come out of their homes,” Cipes said. “Some kids are home from school. Parents are home from work within the community.”
Sipes said the impact of the immigrant raid has accelerated towards the end of the recent academic year, and it is unclear what will happen next week.
Parents will be invited to the school grounds on the first day. The school then does what it can to promote pickup and drop-off.
His message to parents, he said, is that schools are safe and that children are the perfect place to be.
“I know my parents are worried, and I understand that concern,” Sipes said.
Compassion funds are one way to address family concerns and needs. Online, the fund’s mission is described as addressing “acute difficulties” including:
Students experiencing homelessness or housing instability have had students and families affected by an unexpected personal or community emergency arrive at Lausd.families.
The fund aims to “provide modest and flexible assistance through school-based staff who know the community best.”
Expenses include emergency housing or relocation assistance. Food, diapers, school essentials. Transport to important appointments. Temporary care or child supervision. Other “urgent needs creating barriers to learning and stability.”
Carvalho on Tuesday revealed that a central focus will address the needs of families affected by immigrant raids and other immigration-related difficulties. When he first discussed the Compassion Fund on Tuesday morning, Carvalho said he had already raised $1 million. District staff then said their initial goal was to raise $1 million. The amount raised was not immediately provided.
He spoke about the fund during the district’s annual “IATTEND” outreach. This brings attention to families struggling with transportation, academic and mental health issues, resulting in low student attendance. Carvalho and his predecessors regularly participate before the start of school, and sometimes later in the school year.
A visit to Boyle Heights, pro-Erida Villalobos has opened a school particularly challengingly before. The two, the oldest of her five children, begin at a new school (Roosevelt High and Hollenbeck Middle) while her 4-year-old begins homeschooling.
Elida Villarobos on the left talks with Supt. Mario Garcierita, principal of Alberto Carvalho, Center and Holembeck Middle School, is on a home visit to attract students and their families before the new semester.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Carvalho, along with district staff and media aides, descended into the Villalobos apartment. Villalobos knew they were coming and was rewarded for taking part in a gift card backpack with her child.
Villalobos said that 12-year-old Matias didn’t want to go to school after a long period in fifth grade. Villalobos was pregnant, so it was difficult to deal with at the time.
By the sixth grade, Matthias said he was looking forward to turning things around and starting middle school as a seventh grader on Tuesday.
Carvalho has promised to take his family to the Dodgers game after the first two months without Mattias’ absence.
Matthias said he is sure he can do that. He’s a big Dodgers fan.
Dora Kasilla, attendance counselor at Sheridan Elementary School, said the key to turning down low attendance rates is knowing how to help families.
Sheridan’s challenges include a significant population of families experiencing homelessness.
Visiting family wherever they live is a normal part of Kasila’s job, to visit the family of first-year Isaac Paguaya, who comes on an unplanned work day and her birthday and comes in the family’s apartment.
Isaac ran to hold Kasilla when he found out about his birthday.
The boy, who turned 6 the day before, promised that Carvalho would go to school “three times a day.”
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