\u201cWe\u2019re talking about support systems for kids who may have to go into court or employees,\u201d Carvalho said while visiting two families that live near Sheridan Elementary School in Boyle Heights. \u201cAdditional transportation costs that may go beyond our school buses, anything the family may need. We are not restricting it. We want to hear what the challenge is, what the difficulty is, and then use the fund to bring ease, comfort and viable solutions for these families.\u201d<\/p>\n
Food aid could be provided through other sources, Carvalho added: \u201cWe have very viable partners that have already committed to providing the food through information that we provide.\u201d<\/p>\n
The district estimates that it employs at least 300 staff members who lack citizenship \u2014 all working legally with either Temporary Protected Status, for immigrants who were in danger in their native country, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, for immigrants who arrived as children. The employees are at risk of losing their right to live and work in the United States. <\/p>\n
Carvalho\u2019s pledges \u2014 on top of measures already taken<\/a> that include trying to establish safe zones around campuses \u2014 come as teachers-union members rallied last weekend demanding that the district do more to help immigrant <\/a>families in the nation\u2019s second-largest school district.<\/p>\n At that union gathering, school board President Scott Schmerelson, who attended as a spectator, said he agreed with the intent of the union to help affected families and employees as much as possible and said that district officials would work with labor leaders. <\/p>\n The impact of immigration raids present a new wild card to concerns about attendance as the Aug. 14 start of the school year approaches.<\/p>\n Craig Sipes, the Sheridan Elementary principal, said the school is virtually all Latino and almost all families are low income. Economic activity in the neighborhood has declined sharply, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have some families who are scared to come out from their apartments, from their homes,\u201d Sipes said. \u201cSome kids are staying home from school. Parents are staying home from work within the community.\u201d<\/p>\n Sipes said the impact of immigration raids accelerated toward the end of the most-recent school year and it\u2019s not clear what will happen next week. <\/p>\n Parents are invited onto school grounds of the first day. After that, the school will do what it can to expedite pick up and drop off.<\/p>\n His message to parents, he said, is that school will be a safe place \u2014 and the best place for their children to be.<\/p>\n \u201cI know parents are concerned, and I understand that concern,\u201d Sipes said.<\/p>\n