Roosevelt High School substitute teacher apologizes for 'inappropriate' ICE comment, superintendent says
Roosevelt High School on Thursday. Credit: Neil Miller
A Roosevelt High School substitute teacher who made an "inappropriate" comment about immigration enforcement during an interaction with students has apologized and will no longer work for the district, schools Superintendent Shawn Wightman said in a letter to families Thursday.
The district had launched an investigation after several students said the teacher's comment, which referenced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was "offensive and caused harm," Wightman had said in a prior letter issued Wednesday. He said the interaction occurred during attendance for an after-school program when "an issue arose regarding student identification."
The teacher, who has not been identified, “offered a respectful apology” and acknowledged the comment was inappropriate, according to Wightman’s letter. The teacher "has been removed from further assignments and will not serve in any capacity with the Roosevelt Union Free School District going forward," the letter stated.
The district’s review involved gathering written statements and reviewing other information, Wightman wrote.
Daniel Battle, 18, was in the classroom with more than 20 other students, many of whom he said were Latino, when he said the teacher threatened to call ICE on students, some of whom were declining to write their names for attendance.
“As soon as I heard it come out of his mouth, I instantly confronted him. And then I looked around the classroom, and I saw that my classmates all looked uncomfortable after what he said, like, why would you say something like that?” Battle said in a phone interview Thursday.
Battle said he "immediately" reported the incident. His mother, Raquel Medrano, 41, said she called school officials Wednesday when her son told her what happened.
Medrano said the teacher called to apologize with a school official, but neither she nor her son felt it was sincere enough. She added she was proud of her son for stepping forward and was pleased the teacher would no longer be working at the school.
“That’s not something that should be said in the school, especially by an adult that we're supposed to be looking up to,” Battle said.
In his letter Thursday, Wightman told parents "students must never feel singled out, intimidated or unsafe" in school.
“We also recognize, deeply, that references to immigration enforcement can be frightening and harmful for students and families. In listening to students, we heard clearly that such references can feel threatening and destabilizing, regardless of intent," Wightman said.
Counseling and support services remain available for any impacted students.
Two students at Roosevelt High School, which has a majority Latino population, were detained by ICE agents last year amid President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. One later chose to voluntarily deport to Guatemala.
Wightman said Wednesday's incident has prompted the district to stress "professional conduct, respectful communication and student-centered practices," Thursday's letter said. Officials are also providing training for staff regarding attendance and student identification procedures, he wrote.
Lorena Mongelli has been reporting for Newsday since 2021. Prior to that, she covered breaking news at the New York Post.
