Student Confidentiality and Safety
CCSD59 Community,
As we continue to closely monitor the policies and practices taking place across our country, I wanted to take a moment to clarify and articulate our district practices and procedures regarding student confidentiality and safety.
We strongly value the diversity of our student body. Educating students with different races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, backgrounds, experiences, and values makes us stronger as a community. As educators, our primary role is to keep all students safe. We have and will continue to take the following actions to ensure student safety:
- We will be aware and up to date on current policy and practice
- We will work with community agencies to provide supports and resources to families
- We will maintain student confidentiality- we never release student records, including immigration status, to law enforcement without permission of the parent or court order
- We do not allow law enforcement agencies, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), to enter our schools or access student information without a court order
- In compliance with FERPA, we will never ask for or record a student or family’s immigration status
- We work with staff to ensure student learning environments encourage safe expression of emotions
- We work with staff to ensure learning environments are emotionally and physically safe
- We have support staff available in every building that can respond to the needs of staff, students, and families
The following resources can aid families in understanding their rights and advocating for their needs.
- Rights when Interacting with Law Enforcement English, Spanish
- Student and Parent Educational Rights English, Spanish
- Available Legal supports
If our families or students have concerns, they can always be brought to any school staff member. Learning from the experiences of others builds empathy and understanding. Diversity is a great part of what make District 59 students successful for life. We will be working, as always, to ensure the safety of all students.
Sincerely,
Dr. Art Fessler