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Superintendent Chang Informs Haitian Families of Resources Amid Temporary Protected Status Withdrawal
On Wednesday, November 22, 2017, Superintendent Tommy Chang sent the following letter in English and Haitian Creole (Kreyòl Ayisyen) to Boston Public Schools (BPS) students and families after a federal decision was made to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitians living in the U.S. after 2010.
(ENGLISH)
November 22, 2017
Dear Boston Public Schools Families:
This week, our nation learned of plans to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for many immigrants from Haiti in July 2019. You can find more information on this federal decision on the Immigrant Legal Resource Center website. This order may affect approximately 1,600 Haitians living in Boston since 2011, and nearly 4,500 Haitians living in Massachusetts.
In the Boston Public Schools (BPS), we stand with the Haitian community and families of all backgrounds, regardless of immigration status or the language they speak at home. We work tirelessly to foster safe, welcoming, and culturally and linguistically sustaining school environments for every young person. We want families from Haiti to know that we cherish your children, and they are always welcome in our schools.
If you are a Haitian immigrant who has questions about the TPS decision, you can contact the U.S. Embassy of the Republic of Haiti’s TPS hotline at 202-286-3188 or 202-718-0284. You can also contact the Irish International Immigrant Center in Boston at 617-542-7654. The Irish International Immigrant Center provides legal services in English, French, and Haitian Creole, regardless of one’s ability to pay.
Additionally, BPS continues to publicize resources for our immigrant families on the website, BPS: We Dream Together (www.bpswedreamtogether.org), including an upcoming PAIR (Political Asylum/Immigration Representation) Project workshop on December 6 to help immigrants understand their legal rights. You can also seek assistance from the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement, or by calling 311, the Mayor’s 24-hour constituent services hotline.
In these uncertain times, BPS will continually support families to help students remain focused on learning, both academically and emotionally. As Mayor Martin J. Walsh stated earlier this year, we will not retreat one inch from welcoming members of diverse, global communities into Boston. We wish you all a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
Tommy Chang, Ed.D
Superintendent
***
(Kreyòl Ayisyen)
22 Novanm, 2017
Chè Fanmi Lekòl Piblik Boston:
Semèn sa a, nasyon nou an te resevwa nouvèl sou plan sa a pou yo tèmine Estati Pwoteksyon Tanporè a (TPS) an jiyè 2019 pou plizyè imigran ki soti Ayiti. Ou kapab jwenn plis enfòmasyon sou desizyon federal sa a sou sit entènèt: Immigrant Legal Resource Center a. Lòd sa a ka afekte apeprè 1,600 Ayisyen k ap viv Boston depi 2011, ak prèske 4,500 Ayisyen ki abite nan Massachusetts.
Nan Lekòl Piblik Boston Yo (BPS), nou kanpe ak kominote Ayisyen an ansanm ak fanmi tout kalite orijin, kèlkeswa estati imigrasyon yo oswa lang yo pale lakay yo. N ap travay san relach, pou nou ankouraje yon anviwònman aprantisaj ki senesof, akeyan, epi ki bay chak jèn moun sipò kiltirèlman ak lingwistikman. Nou vle fanmi ki sot Ayiti yo konnen nou ancheri pitit nou, e n ap toujou akeyi yo nan lekòl nou yo.
Si w se yon imigran Ayisyen ki genyen kesyon sou desizyon TPS la, ou kapab kontakte liy dirèk TPS Anbasad Replik Ayiti a nan Etazini nan nimewo 202-286-3188 osinon 202-718-0284. Epitou, ou kapab kontakte sant Irish International Immigrant Center a nan Boston nan nimewo 617-542-7654. Sant “Irish International Immigrant Center” a bay sèvis legal ann anglè, franse, ak kreyòl ayisyen, kèlkeswa mwayen ekonomik moun nan.
Anplis, Lekòl Piblik Boston ap kontinye pibliye resous pou fanmi imigran nou yo sou sit entènèt: BPS: We Dream Together (www.bpswedreamtogether.org), pami yo yon atelye “PAIR Project” (“Political Asylum/Immigration Representation” – “Reprezantasyon Azil Politik/Imigrasyon”) 6 desanm, pou ede imigran yo konprann dwa legal yo. Epitou, ou kapab chèche èd nan Biwo Majistra a pou Avansman Imigran (Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Advancement), oubyen ou kapab rele nan nimewo 311, liy dirèk 24 sou 24 Majistra a pou pèp la.
Nan moman ensèten sa yo, Lekòl Piblik Boston ap kontinye sipòte fanmi yo pou ede elèv yo rete konsantre sou zafè edikasyon yo, ni akademikman ni emosyonèlman. Jan Majistra Martin J. Walsh te di li nan kòmansman ane a, nou p ap fè bak menm yon pous pou nou sispann akeyi manm kominote divès, global yo nan Boston. Nou swete nou tout yon jou Remèsiman senesof e amizan.
Sensè salitasyon,
Tommy Chang, Ed.D
Sipèentandan