Jun 20

Statement On Separation Of Families

Lauren Morando Rhim, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Center for Learner Equity

“What is getting lost in the tragedy of children being separated from their parents is the serious health impact on kids, both in the short-term and long-term. This is particularly concerning for students with disabilities, as research indicates that early trauma can impact children’s learning, behavior and relationships. While there appears to be movement towards changing the current policy that separates families, we have to keep the pressure on to ensure that the top priority moving forward is to protect the well-being of all children. Families have been hurt and in addition to ensuring that this type of situation never happens again, we have to make sure that families are reunited immediately and children get the support they need to recover from the trauma they’ve experienced due to the ill-advised actions of the U.S. government.”