North Carolina State Board of Education chair claims Border Patrol is disrupting classrooms
Despite the chair's claims, no immigration enforcement action has been reported on school grounds.
The chair of North Carolina’s Board of Education voiced sharp criticism this week over federal immigration operations in the state, claiming recent Border Patrol activity in Charlotte and Raleigh has caused classroom disruption and student absences.
At a Wednesday board meeting, Chair Eric Davis said that fear sparked by the surge in federal enforcement actions is interfering with students’ right to learn, especially in communities with large immigrant populations.
Davis claimed a rise in school absences was underway that could hurt district funding tied to student attendance, WUNC reports.
Federal law guarantees all students an education regardless of immigration status, and no immigration activity has been reported on school grounds. Still, Davis said the broader effect of enforcement has created instability in schools.
Davis also criticized the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
He warned that shifting federal education responsibilities to other agencies lacks evidence of improved outcomes and risks turning students into “experiment” subjects for untested policies.
The Trump administration has argued that streamlining education functions could improve efficiency and reduce federal overreach.
