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Officials remind schools of duty to protect immigrant students' rights, data

Feb 28, 2017 12:02 am

Bethany Bump is reporting at Capitol Confidential state officials are reminding school districts of their duty to uphold the rights of immigrant students and to protect student data following the release of President Donald Trump's plan to arrest and deport large numbers of undocumented immigrants. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia issued guidance to districts, Mon., Feb. 27, outlining the schools' legal obligations when it comes to assisting federal officials attempting to gain access to students and their records. In New York, children older than five and younger than 21 are entitled to a free public education regardless of their immigration or citizenship status. The guidance says law enforcement generally may not remove a student from school grounds or interrogate them without the consent of the student's parents. And, as in the case of other personal information, a student's immigration status is protected under federal law. Read the full story at Capitol Confidential, a Times Union blog.