NPS Superintendent Christopher Cerf Speaks Out on Behalf Undocumented Newark Students

Last week, Newark Public Schools Superintendent Christopher Cerf, along with education leaders from around the country, signed a petition to support the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

“While we can’t be certain at this point exactly what the new administration will do regarding DACA, what we do know for certain is how the recent election, and the rhetoric that accompanied it, has made Newark families feel,” explained Superintendent Cerf about why he felt compelled to sign this petition. “The DACA program and the DREAM Act proposal gave many immigrant families in our community a greater sense of stability and inclusion. With the election, many of these families and even some educators have expressed real fears about their future,” noted Superintendent Cerf.

He continued, “Newark is a community where one out of every three residents is born in another country, and 25 percent of students speak Spanish as a primary language at home. These students and their families contribute immeasurably to our community. I signed this petition to let all of our undocumented students and immigrant families know that we at Newark Public Schools stand with them and will do everything in our power to ensure that they continue to have access to a high-quality education here in Newark.”

See below to learn more about the education leaders who joined Superintendent Cerf in signing the petition to support the DACA program, advocacy efforts on behalf of undocumented students in Newark Public Schools, as well as workshop information the district is offering undocumented students who are leaving high school to pursue college or a career.


the 74 logoWhat John King and Other Education Leaders Who Signed Petition Want Trump to Know About DACA
“Notably missing from the president’s executive orders, however, was a repeal of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), a policy created by President Barack Obama in 2012 to provide work authorization and freedom from deportation to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. Still, amid fears the Trump administration will kill off DACA — his campaign website promised to ‘immediately terminate’ the program — more than 1,700 education leaders from across the country have signed a petition calling on the president to leave DACA alone… As the fate of hundreds of thousands of students remains up in the air, here are the reasons that some of America’s top education leaders signed the Stand for Children petition… Chris Cerf, superintendent, Newark Public Schools: ‘While we can’t be certain at this point exactly what the new administration will do regarding DACA, what we do know for certain is how the recent election, and the rhetoric that accompanied it, has made Newark families feel. The DACA program and the DREAM Act proposal gave many immigrant families in our community a greater sense of stability and inclusion. With the election, many of these families and even some educators have expressed real fears about their future. Newark is a community where one out of every three residents is born in another country, and 25 percent of students speak Spanish as a primary language at home. These students and their families contribute immeasurably to our community. I signed this petition to let them know that we at Newark Public Schools stand with them and will do everything in our power to ensure that they continue to have access to a high-quality education here in Newark.’” (The 74, 1/25/17)

njcomTeachers petition district to defy Trump, protect immigrant students
“A group of public school teachers are petitioning the Newark school district to protect immigrant children who may be targeted under the President Donald J. Trump’s proposed crackdown on illegal immigration. During Tuesday’s School Advisory Board meeting, teacher Branden Rippey presented a petition signed by more than 160 educators and community members asking the district to declare schools off limits to federal immigration authorities, refuse to share students’ personal information and take concrete steps to carry out both actions… The petition asked Newark schools to officially pledge to stand between these anti-immigration forces and the students it threatens. ‘We demand this be more than symbolic language,’ the petition read. Schools Superintendent Christopher Cerf said he had already signed a petition to protect young undocumented students who benefited from Obama’s executive action to protect them from deportation and give them work permits. ‘I will assure you that I share your perspective and this organization is not going to cooperate with that kind of conduct,’ Cerf said.” (NJ.com, 1/25/17)

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UNDOCU-Newark: A Workshop on Access to Higher Education Services for Undocumented Students & Parents
On February 4, 2017 from 9am to 1pm, Newark Public Schools, Essex County College, Rutgers Law School, UndocuJersey, and Make the Road NJ are offering a free conference for undocumented students. The workshop will talk about the college admissions and financial aid process for students regardless of immigration status. There will also be information regarding scholarship opportunities and free Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) screenings offered. (Newark Public Schools Website)