Gwinnett County teachers confronted Sheriff Keybo Taylor on Tuesday night, urging him to hit pause on his office’s cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after what they describe as a sharp uptick in federal enforcement activity. The Gwinnett County Association of Educators says those operations have left thousands of classroom seats empty and badly shaken trust between immigrant families and local schools, with teachers warning that mounting absences and trauma are derailing learning across multiple campuses.
Alison Cundiff, president of the Gwinnett County Association of Educators, told FOX 5 Atlanta, "We're seeing a lot of students just cutting class, at a level we just haven't seen before," as the union prepared to sit down with the sheriff. The association's open letter, reported by Atlanta News First, said thousands of students have dropped out or are skipping class since federal operations increased.
Teachers described first-hand accounts of fear on buses and in classrooms, with some students reportedly shutting down emotionally and others voicing constant worry that a parent might be taken from their home. As covered by WABE, educators are pressing the sheriff for clear answers about how much discretion his office has when federal agents are active in the community.
Legal Context For The Sheriff’s Options
The sheriff’s latitude has been narrowed by recent state-level changes that limit local discretion on immigration detainers, and the office has repeatedly cited those legal obligations in public comments. In a news release, the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office said it plans to meet with community leaders and civic groups to hear concerns while maintaining what it describes as a posture of service. Earlier local coverage has traced how state changes have shifted the choices available to county sheriffs, placing the current fight over cooperation with ICE inside a broader statewide policy debate.
What Teachers Want And What’s Next
The union is calling for a temporary moratorium on cooperation with ICE and a public town hall where families can hear directly from law enforcement about what local enforcement looks like day to day and, they hope, start rebuilding trust. The sheriff’s office confirmed it met with educators and, as Atlanta News First reports, said it is taking steps to engage in “a candid conversation regarding this delicate matter.” According to FOX 5 Atlanta, Cundiff said she was encouraged that the initial meeting felt like a productive start and hopes it will lead to larger community forums.
Gwinnett County Public Schools has pointed to existing district policies that aim to protect students and their records, stressing that schools are intended to function as sensitive locations for enforcement activity. But educators counter that those safeguards do not mean much if families are afraid to leave their homes. As WABE reports, teachers are pushing for concrete steps that bring students back into classrooms and ease the constant fear of family separation.
