Thursday, October 1, 2026
After a substitute teacher admitted they would threaten to call ICE on students on Feb. 4, the Roosevelt Union Free School District removed the teacher from further assignments and “will not serve in any capacity,” according to a letter from Superintendent of Schools Shawn Wightman to the Roosevelt community.
The incident was first reported by senior Daniel Battle after he stated that during an in-school suspension class, a substitute teacher threatened to call ICE on students after being frustrated with students improperly signing into the class.
Battle said he immediately went to the principal’s office to report the threat.
“I was like, ‘That’s not OK. Why would you say that?” Battle said . “Especially in a classroom with a lot of Hispanic kids. That’s not something you should say.”
After, Wightman’s office promptly released a letter the same evening to Roosevelt families, students and staff, detailing the accusation made by Battle and adding that “several students reported that the comment was offensive and caused harm.”
After initiating what the district described as an immediate review and investigation into the incident, the teacher admitted to making the threat. In a letter sent to the Roosevelt community on Feb. 5, Wightman reports that the teacher acknowledged that the ICE comment was inappropriate and offered an apology.
Wightman continued in the letter, stating that providing safety, well-being, dignity and a sense of belonging to students is a top priority for the district.
“We also recognize, deeply, that references to immigration enforcement can be frightening and harmful for students and families,” Wightman wrote. “In listening to students, we heard clearly that such references can feel threatening and destabilizing, regardless of intent.”
Wightman went on to write if students ever feel like they are not receiving a certain standard of well-being while at school, they are encouraged to speak with school counselors, social workers, building administrators or other trusted adults.
Roosevelt High School has been impacted in the past by ICE and the threat of ICE arrests, with at least two students being detained by the federal organization in less than a year.
In response to further questions, Wightman stated that he could not disclose the names of the teacher, students or other specific personnel decision details. He did explain, however, that district employees are “not authorized to coordinate with ICE regarding students or families.” School administrators do not ask for immigration status during enrollment and all student records are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
“Additionally, the District’s expectation is that law enforcement may not remove or interrogate a student on school property without parental/guardian consent,” said Wightman, who also mentioned that in limited circumstances where lawful warrants are involved this expectation would be altered.
According to Wightman, the Roosevelt school district is “reviewing and strengthening” its program sign-in procedures to ensure student accountability and continued staff professionalism.
With ICE continuing to expand its operations across Long Island, decreases in student attendance have become a growing concern in many school districts. Student walk out protests and demonstrations against ICE have also taken away time from classes. Wightman said that the Roosevelt school district can not definitively say if ICE has specifically attributed to student absences, but added that they still want to provide support in the event the district becomes aware of such circumstances.
“If families are experiencing fear or uncertainty that is affecting attendance, we want to hear directly so we can connect students to supports and problem-solve barriers to attendance.”
