Holyoke now has a new policy in case any law enforcement agent attempts to make a civil arrest at schools, but Chicopee’s policy did not pass the School Committee.
On Aug. 5, Gov. Maura Healey signed into law the PROTECT Act, which, in part, amended MGL Chapter 71 and requires that all school districts have, as of Sept. 1, a policy that prohibits civil law enforcement activities on school property absent a judicial order or judicial warrant.
The policy also addresses student and staff safety when interacting with law enforcement agents engaging in civil law enforcement activities on school property, including, but not limited to, federal immigration authorities.
The Massachusetts Association of School Committees sent a model policy to each School Committee to enact, according to Attorney Becky Bocuhard, who was at the Chicopee School Committee meeting.
Chicopee
The Chicopee School Committee did not approve the PROTECT Act policy at its Sept. 16 meeting after approving the first reading on Sept. 2.
The policy needed eight votes to pass, but it received six votes for approval, two votes against and one abstention.
Superintendent Dr. Marcus Ware read the policy aloud to the School Committee during the meeting. The PROTECT Act states that civil arrests made by civil law enforcement, including federal immigration enforcement, are not allowed on school grounds during school hours, student drop-off and pickup windows, before and after school programming and at school-sponsored events without a judicial warrant or judicial order.
The act also states that the school superintendent will implement PROTECT Act procedures consistent with the model procedures and guidance for K-12 schools regarding interactions with civil law enforcement issued by the governor’s office, the executive office of education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The procedure can be implemented wherever applicable and aligns with the district’s emergency operation plans.
If the policy passes the School Committee in the future, at least one senior staff member would be in each building, and those staff members would be educated on the policy and procedures in case a situation arises. They would also serve as the primary contact with the law enforcement agents.
The policy provides procedures for contacting the school’s district attorney, the senior administrator or the district superintendent if a civil law enforcement agent arrives on school grounds. Additionally, the policy includes language for requesting information about a student or staff member and information about documenting all interactions with law enforcement agents. It also contains information about notifying a student’s parents or guardian and plans to share the policy on the school’s district site.
Ware said that if the act were adopted, he would begin to identify individuals to serve as the point of contact in each building. He said the district currently has other policies in place, but the PROTECT Act would replace those.
Reminder Publishing reached out to the mayor’s office and superintendent’s office about next steps after the School Committee failed to pass the proposal. Vieau had no comment on the matter, and the superintendent’s office did not respond before press time.
Holyoke
The Holyoke School Committee met on Sept. 14 to approve the first and second readings of their policy. The committee suspended its normal rules and approved both readings during the same meeting.
Holyoke Public Schools Superintendent Jackie Glasheen explained that before the PROTECT Act, administration worked with the district’s attorney to put procedures in place that mirror the requirements of the newly signed act.
Glasheen said Holyoke’s procedures make it so staff are trained and everybody is aware of who the point person is in the event a civil arrest occurs on school grounds.
With the new policy adopted, Glasheen said the district will review the updated procedures to ensure they are exactly aligned with the state’s. The district will share them with the School Committee after that process is complete.
