District 41 president’s email on detained immigrant student prompts parent response: ‘Get politics out of our school’
Glen Ellyn School District 41 School Board President Dr. Robert Bruno is facing questions after sending an email to parents regarding an eighth-grade student and his father, who are reportedly being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The case, first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, involves 14-year-old Steven, a Venezuelan, and his Colombian father, who are being held at the South Texas Family Residential Center.
The family crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in May 2025. After initially being released and enrolling in District 41, they were taken back into ICE custody in December following the denial of their asylum petition.
In his message to families, Bruno acknowledged that “different views on immigration policy are legitimately held” but said he wanted to “exclusively address the present situation of one of our children.”
Bruno said he had traveled to Texas to visit Steven and his father.
“Sadly, and inexplicably, Steven has had that connection frayed,” he wrote. “A thousand miles and endless grey walls now keep a young boy separated from the teachers who share an unwavering desire to educate and care for him.”
Bruno, whose student had attended the school for only one semester, outlined his perspective on the situation in the email.
“I feel compelled to do as much as I can,” he wrote. “I deeply believe we are one community. But until all our children joyfully walk our school halls, we are not whole. Someone who belongs here is missing.”
Several families in the district, which serves about 3,500 students in five schools from pre-K through eighth grade, said Bruno’s message was inappropriate.
One parent, who asked to remain anonymous, said Bruno should keep messaging focused on education.
“He needs to get politics out of our school,” the parent told the DuPage Policy Journal. “If you think something's controversial, don't make a statement and don't piss off half of your population.”
The parent said Bruno’s email reflected a political bias and did not account for families with differing views.
DuPage County has leaned Democratic in recent elections. In 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris received 55.9% of the county's vote to President Donald Trump’s 42.5%, with Glen Ellyn reflecting the county’s partisan divide.
“My overall thought is that I know Glen Ellyn is Democratic, right?” the parent said. “But you still do have Republicans. And he says in the beginning (of the email), he knew immigration is a hot topic. So stop there. End of story. We don't need to know about Steven, whoever Steven is, sorry.”
The parent also referenced a recent anti-ICE student demonstration in District 41 in which middle school students participated in a walkout during school hours.
“Our middle school had a student walkout,” the parent said.
The parent said immigration issues do not belong in elementary and middle school settings.
“My child really doesn't need to know about immigration, she needs to know about gymnastics,” she said. “It’s unnecessary for these little kids and even sixth graders to start learning about walkouts and whatever. Leave our kids alone, leave my kid alone. It's my choice to do that.”
During a recent anti‑ICE walkout at Dundee Middle School, just over 30 miles away, an 11-year-old special needs student left campus and became lost miles away, later being found near a busy intersection.
The child’s mother criticized the school for leaving him unsupervised and not notifying her. She said the incident has led her to consider legal action or transferring her child to another school.
The parent said Bruno’s message crossed a line of acceptable behavior by a school district official.
“I don't need to know about every kid in the school district and their life stories,” the parent said. “On a political topic, you don’t need to push the button and tell all of us because there are people who support illegal immigration.”
The parent said Bruno’s messaging could influence some parents to leave the school district.
“Don't make us send our children to private school just to state your political position and benefit one student,” the parent said. “Share your thoughts on LGBTQ issues, guns, or abortion if you wish, but that’s not your right.”
The parent said the email was creating stress for parents whose tax dollars support the district.
In fiscal year 2024, Glen Ellyn School District 41 levied more than $55 million in property taxes on homeowners living in the district.
According to the Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois has the highest property taxes in the nation, with homeowners paying an average effective rate of 1.83%.
“My taxes are insane here,” the parent said. “The cost of my little plot of land is absurd. I can afford private school but I don't need my kid to go to private school because I'm paying an insane amount in taxes for my school. So just don't make them political and we can all be happy. It's that simple.”
The parent said there is concern that publicly disagreeing with Bruno’s anti-ICE stance could have social consequences for children of conservative parents.
“It stops me from being public in my criticism because when you're against this you sound like a racist and you hate children,” the parent said. “If I send it to my friends they would say ‘you're a racist,’ and I'm not.”
Kristina McCloy, founder of Concerned Parents of Illinois, said the email highlights the need for school leaders to remain focused on education rather than political advocacy.
“Elementary school board presidents are meant to govern schools, not run political campaigns,” McCloy told the DuPage Policy Journal. “That is what taxpayers expect and deserve. This school board president is abusing his position to push an immigration narrative, using schools and children as political props to signal loyalty to the far left in pursuit of personal political ambition.”
McCloy said children and classrooms should remain neutral spaces.
“Schools are not activist platforms,” she said. “Children are not political tools. Classrooms are not stages for performative outrage or self-promotion.”
“Immigration enforcement is federal law, handled by courts and ICE, not school boards. Turning children into political pawns neither changes the law nor educates students. And if ICE identifies a student as an illegal alien, that student must be deported. Illegal aliens are taking limited resources from American citizen students, and that is unacceptable.”