CHARLOTTE, NC — Educators across North Carolina and the Queen City stand united in strong opposition to the Trump Administration’s decision to target Charlotte. The North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Association of Educators (CMAE) today released the following statement:
“Reports of a Border Patrol and ICE deployment to Charlotte have already created fear and uncertainty for public school families, and we want to say clearly: our city will not be intimidated. Our schools, our neighborhoods, and our communities deserve safety, stability, and dignity — not fear. We commit to building a Black, Brown and white working-class coalition that stands shoulder-to-shoulder to protect our public school families and defend the community.
Schools are sacred spaces. They are where young people find belonging, joy, stability, and the opportunity to learn. Sending masked federal agents to school communities is an act that endangers children and traumatizes families. No child should ever walk into a classroom wondering whether their family will be intact when the school day ends.
As educators who teach and live in every corner of Mecklenburg County and North Carolina, we know that real safety does not come from armed federal agents. Real safety comes from investing in students, families, and communities, including public schools, mental health support, affordable housing, food security, and healthcare. That is what keeps children safe — not militarized immigration raids
If the Trump administration wants to support Charlotte, it can invest in its public schools. Every dollar spent on a raid or other forms of intimidation is a dollar not spent on services that help families thrive — SNAP benefits, special education resources, after-school programs, school nurses, and career-readiness training help our students to grow and thrive.
In the Queen City, whether you are Black, Brown, white, immigrant, or native-born, we take care of one another. We refuse to let fear define our city.”
Tamika Walker Kelly
NCAE President
Amanda Thompson
CMAE President
