WITHERING ON THE VINE: Our African Refugee Students Deserve a Quality Education in Fort Worth ISD.

 

WITHERING ON THE VINE

Our African Refugee Students Deserve a Quality Education in Fort Worth ISD. Link: https://youtu.be/svG_weYOTJs?is=oN71wNXBXxlB_Xbh

By Pastor Kyev Tatum, Sr., Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas

Many of the children welcomed at New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church came to Fort Worth from Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in western Tanzania. The camp was established in 1996 for people fleeing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 2015, violence in Burundi brought a large new wave of refugees, and the camp became severely overcrowded. Nyarugusu is in Tanzania, but many of its residents—including children in our community—are refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi. 

Nyarugusu remains a major refugee settlement. As of August 2026, UNHCR reported more than 90,000 people living in the camp, most from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi. 

Fort Worth is also part of the resettlement journey. Refugee families arrive here seeking safety and a chance to rebuild. Many settle in apartment communities in southeast Fort Worth, where children enroll in local schools. Clifford Davis Elementary, for example, serves many immigrant and refugee students who live in a nearby apartment community. 

The children who have come to Fort Worth have endured displacement, trauma, and hardship. Now they face another serious obstacle: learning in classrooms where they may not understand the language being spoken.

Families and advocates have told us that Swahili-speaking staff and teachers are not available to help these students learn English and understand classroom instruction. When children cannot understand what is being taught, simply placing them in a classroom is not enough. They may be present at school without being able to participate meaningfully.

Families and community members have raised concerns about students at campuses including Clifford Davis Elementary, Morningside Elementary and Middle Schools, Poly High School, and O.D. Wyatt High School. We need to hear directly from families and examine what language services students at each campus are actually receiving.

The district’s approach to newcomer education has also changed. On April 28, 2026, the Fort Worth ISD Board of Managers voted to close the International Newcomer Academy (INA), which had served immigrant and refugee students. The district transitioned INA students to neighborhood schools in fall 2026. FWISD says students will receive language and academic support in their regular classes, with bilingual coordinators working alongside teachers. The district must now show that those supports are reaching students effectively at every campus (https://youtu.be/40icZ_tqp44?is=CcVHqdQQ8vE6PUJn).

We are also hearing that many students are being pushed out of their schools and told to seek other placements, including alternative public schools and private schools. A referral to another school does not erase a district’s responsibility to provide English learners with meaningful access to education. If students are being excluded or diverted because of their language needs—or because the district has not provided adequate language support—that raises serious civil-rights concerns and must be investigated. Federal guidance requires equal access for English learners, and the Justice Department has addressed unlawful alternative-school placements that denied students equal educational opportunities. 

These children deserve care, support, and a genuine opportunity to learn. We fear they are being left to wither on the vine (https://youtu.be/lC7jsJtWCW8?is=foAqabL7Et_kf1qB).

Federal law requires school districts to take affirmative steps so English learners can participate meaningfully and equally in school programs. Districts have flexibility in how they meet that responsibility, but they must provide an effective language-assistance program, supported by qualified staff and adequate resources. Schools must also communicate important information to parents in a language they can understand. 

Based on what families and community members have shared with us, we believe Fort Worth ISD’s services and placement decisions for these students warrant an urgent, independent review. We call for an investigation into whether the district is meeting its responsibilities under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act. Any concerns under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause should also be examined based on the facts and applicable law.

The U.S. Department of Education explains that English learners may need language supports to participate meaningfully in school, and that limited English proficiency must not become a barrier to educational opportunity. Families with limited English proficiency must receive important school information in a language they can understand. 

We are deeply concerned that children in our community are falling behind without the language support they need—and that some are being directed away from their schools instead of receiving the help they need to succeed. We ask FWISD to meet with families, listen to their experiences, explain what services and placement decisions each student is receiving, and promptly address any gaps.

God has placed these children in our community, and Scripture calls us to care for people in distress. James 1:27 reminds us that faithful service includes caring for those who are vulnerable. As pastor, I believe we have a responsibility to stand with these children and their families.

We demand equal protection under the law and a meaningful opportunity for every child to learn.

We will stand with these children because our times demand it, history requires it, our children deserve it, and God is still watching.

Pastor Kyev Tatum
New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church
Fort Worth, Texas 76104