LANCASTER, TX (KTVT) — Parents of a 14-year-old Hispanic student at Lancaster ISD’s Obama 9th Grade Center are furious after they say a staffer threatened the teen, a U.S. citizen, with deportation.
“You’re basically scaring him,” said his mother. Now, he thinks I’m going to get deported. Now, he thinks he might get deported.”
Lancaster ISD placed that employee on administrative leave.
The parents met with the principal and the staffer at the school.
School leaders tell CBS 11, they initially got denials, then an explanation.
Now the school district is investigating.
“He told him, ‘even though you are a citizen, Trump is working on a law where he can deport you, too, because of your mom’s status’,” the teen’s mother said.
Although she says she is in the country legally, the teen’s mother didn’t want to be identified, fearing retaliation, but she did visit the school looking for answers.
She got the staffer to show her what he showed her son, a coin emblazoned with the word, ICE.
“Basically, he was afraid. You show him this ICE thing. He doesn’t know what that is. All he knows, he knows what’s going on right now,” his mother said.
She said the staffer was trying to teach her son a lesson for responding, “yeah,” instead of “yes sir.”
Lancaster ISD told CBS 11 in a statement, “Lancaster ISD is aware of the comments made by a staff member to a student. We are working to gather all of the information so that we can conduct a thorough investigation. As of now the employee has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation. Lancaster ISD does not support nor will we tolerate behavior that promotes division. Our district takes pride in being an inclusive district that puts students first regardless of their background. It is our goal to ensure a quality education for all students and a safe learning environment.”
There is a school board meeting on Thursday. The parents say they plan to attend. They want a better plan in place for how to handle future incidents like this if they occur.
