Because Donald Trump became president Jan. 20 and the 89th Texas Legislative session began Jan. 14, several changes could affect the Mansfield community.
“Rest assured that Mansfield ISD will continue to provide a caring, supportive learning environment for all our students,” an online district notice said. “We value the trust you place in us every day, and we are thankful for the opportunity to educate your children, ensuring they are college, career and life ready.”
In the 2024 election, Donald Trump criticized the Biden administration’s response to immigration at the nation’s southern border. After his inauguration, Trump ordered the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement to conduct a series of arrests of undocumented immigrants. Many Americans support this decision, while many others oppose it.
“I think that mass deportation is a horrible thing,” senior Kennedy Hilton said. “All it does is displace so many people who have come to escape bad situations in the countries they came from.”
The Dallas Morning News said 84 people were arrested on Jan. 26 in the DFW area as part of ICE’s operations. In Alice ISD in south Texas, the district warned parents ICE agents may board school buses to question students’ immigration status. MISD said it cannot disclose immigration status without violating FERPA.
“None of our students, staff, or parents should have to worry about the freedom to learn at school,” school board member Dr. Jandel Crutchfield said. “Although MISD doesn’t track the immigration status of students and families, I have gotten to know many immigrants in our community. I want to affirm the richness that our immigrant students, staff, and parents bring to MISD.”
School vouchers are a priority for Gov. Greg Abbott in the 89th Texas Legislature. As part of Senate Bill 2, school vouchers offer $10,000 per student from district funding to allow them to explore private school options. Abbott previously attempted to pass this bill in the 88th session, but it failed after four special sessions.
“Funding decisions made during this session may have a tremendous impact on MISD’s budget, particularly in the areas of academic programming and employee compensation,” school board member Craig Tipping said. “Legislators may also decide to implement new legislation that affects curriculum, accountability and other areas that may impact students and our employees.”
Critics of school vouchers argue the bill doesn’t properly assist those seeking private school education, as the Education Data Initiative reports the average private high school tuition in Texas is $12,161. Supporters of the bill say vouchers will assist low-income families and incentivize public schools to perform better.
“If you can’t afford to go to private schools without a voucher, you most likely can’t afford the rest of the tuition even with it,” Hilton said. “The only people who are going to benefit are those who already have children in private schools. It’s just a $10,000 discount.”
The 88th Legislature will meet until May 29 unless special sessions are called. The Senate passed the bill Feb. 6. MISD leadership said it could have an impact on the district if passed by the House. MISD will continue to monitor both federal immigration enforcement decisions and school voucher updates.
