Friday, January 16, 2026

Dear Rush-Henrietta Community,

A local radio talk show host recently made some disparaging, false remarks about our school community and our superintendent, Dr. Barbara Mullen. He claimed that Dr. Mullen had asked school administrators not to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the event agents visit one of our buildings in the future. During the 10-minute radio segment, the host repeatedly criticized Rush-Henrietta and Dr. Mullen about a claim that is plain inaccurate.

Before doing so, though, the radio host acknowledged he had not seen a copy of the message he was critiquing, publicly criticizing our school community without the facts. The communication provided to staff by Dr. Mullen is provided below. As you can see, administrators were not told to avoid cooperating with federal agents. They - and by extension other staff members who are the first point of contact with visitors to campus - were asked to refer all such instances to Dr. Mullen so we ensure our district has a consistent response process that follows legal guidelines. 

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“Dear Colleagues,   

There is a growing concern of the impact of ICE enforcement presence in our community. There may be an impact on our students in a variety of ways. We do not anticipate ICE officers coming to our buildings but in the event officers do, please re-orient yourself with the communication below from last year. Please do not request the presence of our Safety Director to engage directly with ICE officers. We have clear protocols below.

From January 2025-

A document titled “New York State Guidance on Safeguarding the Rights of Immigrant Students” was issued this month by state officials. New York reaffirmed that “schools should remain a safe haven where all students are welcomed and provided a free public education.” It says: 

(1) Undocumented children have the right to attend public schools full time as long as they meet state age and residency requirements. Public schools may not deny students a free public education on the basis of their undocumented or non-citizen status or on the basis of their parent’s/guardian’s undocumented or non-citizen status. 

(2) The Family Education and Privacy Rights Act of 1974 (FERPA) generally prevents the disclosure of public school students’ personally identifiable information without parental consent. 

It may be difficult for schools to determine whether information qualifies as directory information that may be released, or whether a judicial order or subpoena is valid and lawfully issued. If a federal or local law enforcement official requests student information, politely ask them to wait and immediately contact Dr. Mullen’s office (359-5021). She and our attorney will request the subpoena or other documentation upon which the request is based.

(3) “Law enforcement officers may not remove a student from school property or interrogate a student without the consent of the student’s parent or person in parental relation, except in very limited circumstances.” Do not allow law enforcement officers inside school property to access a student unless there is an imminent safety situation. In the event law enforcement states it has a warrant or order, please contact Dr. Mullen’s office (359-5021) and email or text a copy of the document to her and await guidance before proceeding. 

Thank you for caring about the well being of all of our students. If you have any questions, please let me know.”

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We encourage students, families, employees, and our community to always take time to ask questions and seek clarity around both communication and intent – especially when it comes to supporting our students. The district is happy to hear your questions and provide factual information in response. 

On behalf of the entire Board of Education, we thank you for your continued support of the Rush-Henrietta Central School District.

Sincerely,

Scott Adair
President, Board of Education
Rush-Henrietta Central School District