Recently, the colonial government of the District of Columbia released a report on school truancy in D.C. While many of the issue raised in the report will be familiar to people anywhere in the U.S. who have thought about this problem, there was this section (pp. 22-23; boldface mine):

Hispanic and Latino students are a group that have continued to present with different barriers than other students in the Pilot. Some of these students are Newcomers, which are students who have recently immigrated to the United States, and their family’s immigration status played a role in their student’s attendance. During SY 25-26, changes to the political climate brought additional law enforcement to the District via Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the National Guard, and Hispanic and Latino students and families have reported the presence of these groups having a negative impact on their families, including on their students’ attendance. The Pilot’s three Bilingual Case Managers supported these students and families in Spanish and removed the language barrier many families experience when trying to access supportive services.

Client story 7: Luis is a 15-year old Hispanic-American high school student who was referred to the Truancy Reduction program for 17 unexcused absences. Earlier in the year, he watched his father being taken away by immigration authorities. Following this incident, his guardian shared increasing concerns about his emotional well-being and possible depression. His attendance began to drop, not because of lack of interest, but because he became genuinely afraid to step outside. In addition to this trauma, he lives with ADHD and has an IEP, which already requires consistent structure and support. The emotional impact of the event made it even more difficult for him to stay focused, engaged, and motivated in school.

Although our work together has only recently started, he has shown courage, honesty, and a willingness to engage in services. Our first goal is to connect him to mental health supports that can provide trauma-informed care and a safe, consistent space to process what he has experienced. With the right supports, mental health services, school ‑based accommodations, and compassionate guidance, he has the potential to regain confidence, rebuild his sense of safety, and move forward with greater emotional and academic stability.

The presence of the National Guard isn’t just “standing around.” Their presence actively harms some of our most vulnerable kids. Free D.C. now.