Editorial: Elmwood Park School District Silent As ICE Spreads Fear

What happens if ICE agents show up at school? The District won’t say.

Photo: Sara Lindsay

By Ann Lindsay

When it comes to protecting our children, silence is not neutrality. It is neglect.

Over the past several weeks, families in Elmwood Park Community Unit District 401 have been asking a simple question: What happens if ICE shows up at one of our schools?

It is not an abstract worry. Immigration enforcement operations have been reported in and around schools in nearby areas, like this alarming video of a Chicago mother being abducted from the elementary school pickup line in the West Loop.

In response to ICE’s presence, Chicago Public Schools and several suburban school districts have publicly shared resources, know-your-rights guides, and reaffirmed that schools must remain safe spaces for every child.

District 401, however, has stayed silent.

When a community member reached out privately to Superintendent Leah Gauthier, urging the district to issue a public statement and share resources with all families, the superintendent responded in writing:

“We are in constant communication with individual families on a case by case basis to provide resources and support them as needed. This is not a public communication topic as the district respects the rights and privacy of all families.”

She added that front office staff know what to do if ICE agents arrive, that officers would need a judicial warrant to enter, and that the district follows legal guidance related to student privacy. All true, but that dodges the issue..

That answer—procedural, quiet, and confined to back-channel conversations—misses the mark.

A District With a History Of Evasion

The district’s refusal to speak publicly is not caution. It is a choice—and it is the wrong one.

According to a report available from the Chicago Tribune, in 2006 the Illinois State Board of Education insisted that the district enroll “all prospective students, regardless of immigration status.”

The district initially fought the state board but backed down only because they did not want to lose state funding or see students barred from weekend sports competitions. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Only two years ago, the district came under fire for an abject failure of communication when a student brought a handgun to Elmwood Park High School. Officials failed to communicate with families and students, leading to parent outrage and distrust in district leadership.

We find ourselves again with a district that is refusing to act and hiding information from the public.

Leadership in the district, especially one that serves a community as diverse as ours, requires more than compliance. It requires communication, trust, and moral clarity. Plus, families cannot act on information they don’t have, and many are unaware of their rights, the protections in place, or the resources available to them.

Parents are whispering in parking lots, texting each other for guidance, trying to figure out what to tell their kids if something happens at school. Confusion exists because officials paid to lead us are refusing to lead out loud.

No one is asking the district to break confidentiality. Residents are asking the district to communicate and acknowledge growing fear. Yet instead of this basic act, we get boilerplate assurances behind closed doors and only upon request.

Every parent, regardless of politics, should be able to count on their district to speak up when families feel unsafe or uncertain. Staying silent does not protect anyone. In fact, it leaves the most vulnerable families isolated and uninformed, and it sends a troubling message about how far the district’s sense of responsibility actually extends.

Chicago Public Schools and other districts have shown that proactive communication can be both lawful and compassionate.

Sharing public resources, reaffirming school safety, and outlining clear expectations for all families does not violate privacy. It builds confidence and transparency—the foundation of any strong community.

This Is About Trust and Accountability

Whether or not immigration enforcement directly impacts your household, it impacts your community. If district leaders choose silence now, it sets a precedent.

Also, it is fair to ask more of our leaders. Superintendent Gauthier recently had her contract—with a current salary of $211,428— extended ahead of schedule. This represented a show of strong support from the school board. But with that level of trust and compensation comes a responsibility to lead boldly, to communicate clearly, and to represent all families with clarity, empathy and compassion.

Meanwhile, other nearby school districts have stepped up. They have held community meetings, translated materials for non-English-speaking parents, and made it clear that every child belongs in their schools. Superintendent Gauthier could do the same, however, her silence seems intentional. And her inaction is a choice.

Parents deserve leaders who meet fear with clarity, not legalese. Schools should model courage and transparency, not use student privacy to avoid accountability.

By choosing not to speak publicly, District 401 is not only leaving some families in the dark. It is dimming the light of trust for everyone.

Silence should not be an option when it comes to keeping our kids safe.