Mary Ann Dewan was appointed as the interim county superintendent Nov. 15.

Santa Clara County education leader Mary Ann Dewan sent a July 2 letter to the Office of the President of the United States, asking for the reunification of divided families, according to staff.
The Superintendent for the County Office of Education’s letter asks for “ethical and moral leadership” as well as “kindness and compassion.” It was written in response to the recent increased U.S.-Mexico border enforcement which has led to the separation of immigrant families, according to the report.
While an executive order was signed by the president June 20, to cease family separation, approximately 2,000 families have yet to be reunited, according to a recent report by CNN. The trauma caused by the zero-tolerance measures reaches far beyond the U.S.-Mexico border.
“At the Santa Clara County Office of Education, we have initiatives in place to support social-emotional well-being of children in our community, we have gathered resources for families, what to do if you are approached by immigration agents, what documents you should carry with you, we also provide lists of local legal services providers,” Dewan said.
The letter states, “Throughout my county, teachers are having difficult conversations with students because the trauma being inflicted on children by your administration hits close to home as every child’s worst nightmare is to be torn away from their loved ones.”
Exposure to trauma has a significant impact on people of all ages; it affects “the social, emotional, and physical well-being of the child,” Dewan wrote.
“It is unacceptable and has the potential to cause irreparable harm to the children victimized by these actions. Children could face long-lasting anxiety, depression and other forms of mental illness that could impair their performance at school and cause problems throughout their lives,” the letter continues.
“I do not know whether the President will read my letter, but it is my sincerest hope that consideration is given toward kindness and compassion,” Dewan added.
State Supe on family separations
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson released a June 29 statement on the Trump administration’s policy of separating families seeking asylum from human rights abuses, violence and crime.
“I am saddened and angered by the treatment of families and young children at our southern border,” said Torlakson. “Families who come to the United States seeking economic security, new opportunities and physical safety face great adversity and danger on their journeys. They should be greeted with understanding and compassion. Instead, immigration officials have separated families with little hope of reunification, prosecuted asylum-seekers and detained prospective immigrants indefinitely.”
Torlakson decried the policy of separating families as “cruel, inhumane and unacceptable.”
“Children could face long-lasting anxiety, depression and other forms of mental illness that could harm their performance at school and cause problems throughout their lives,” Torlakson continued.
The state education office has joined 17 other states and the District of Columbia in a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its practice of refusing entry for asylum seekers at our southern borders and “the cruel and unlawful policy of forcibly separating families,” according to Torlakson.
“We must treat those who come to our nation seeking refuge in a compassionate way, one that reflects the values upon which this nation was built,” he concluded. “We are a nation of immigrants that has welcomed people from all over the world. This diversity is our strength.”

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