A Manhattan public school known by the initials “ICE” has undergone an unofficial rebrand this year to avoid any association with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its controversial actions during the Trump administration, according to a report.
The Institute for Collaborative Education is now calling itself “Ny.ICE” – an adjustment not taken lightly, the school head said in a letter to parents explaining the new moniker.
Some of the merchandise on the school website states ICE. https://www.iceschoolnyc.org/
“Moving forward I will be referring to our school community as Ny.ICE or the Institute for Collaborative Education in official communications to avoid any confusion or unnecessary emotional responses to our school’s acronym,” Principal Peter Karp wrote in a letter to pupils and parents sent earlier this year, Gothamist reported Thursday.
“Although we were founded in 1993, I believe that this is an appropriate and respectful response to the current climate in our city and our country.
“I hope you will join me in this, and know that I do not make this adjustment lightly.”
The school serves grades 6 through 12. https://insideschools.org/school/02M407
The city’s Department of Education told the outlet the Gramercy Park neighborhood school – which serves 6th through 12th graders — has not formally changed its name.
Parents dropping off their kids at the school Friday appeared split on the new acronym.
“I don’t know what else you would expect them to do,” parent David Seiter, 41, told The Post outside the school Friday.
“You know, if you got a name of something….if your school’s name all of a sudden became like a new brand of something that ethically you didn’t support, which it seems like they’ve kind of branded this federal institution with something that a lot of New Yorkers don’t support, then it just seems natural to change it.”
Veronica, 40, said the school name should be left alone, though she understands why the switch was made.
If her 7th grade daughter wears a piece of ICE school apparel outside, Veronica said it could catch New Yorker’s attention.
“And I remember saying, wow, [if] my daughter wears that down the street, you’re going to have these leftists being pissed off and saying why is she wearing a shirt with ICE,” she said. “So I can understand 50/50 you know.”
The DOE did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning.