Tipsheet

Rhode Island School Staffer Knowingly Solicited Funds for Human Trafficking Operation, Emails Show

Madeline Leesman
Madeline Leesman  |  June 28, 2023 4:45 PM

In January, Townhall reported how an assistant principal at Mount Pleasant High School in Rhode Island emailed staff asking for donations for a student to pay off a “coyote” who brought them to the United States. 

“We have a student who came to America with ‘Coyote’, which is a group that helps people,” the email from Mount Pleasant High School Assistant Principal Stefani Harvey said. The U.S. Department of Justice defines “coyotes” as “human smugglers.” 

“This group gives you a time frame to make a payment of $5,000 to those, who bring them into the states,” she wrote, emphasizing that the student’s deadline was scheduled for Feb. 1. At the time, the student was $2,000 short.

Shortly after, the school’s principal sent out a follow-up email claiming that the request for money was “not appropriate.”

“I was informed there was an email seeking financial support for one of our students,” the email from Principal Tiffany Delaney said. “I appreciate the faculty and staff contributing to a cause that supports a student, but the nature of the request is not appropriate.”

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This week, emails obtained by parental rights organization Parents Defending Education found that the assistant principal who urged staff to give money to the “coyote,” which she called “a group that helps people,” knew that she was trying to raise money for human traffickers.

PDE obtained an email from a few weeks prior, dated Jan. 6, 2023, showing that Harvey also knew more information about how the student came to the United States (via Parents Defending Education): 

A staff member listed on Mount Pleasant High School’s website as a “guidance counselor” explained in the email from January 6 that “we have a student who came to America with ‘Coyote.'” She then continued with more details and acknowledged that the student’s family was in danger:

When they come illegal, they usually give them a time frame to make a payment of $5000 dollors to those, who bring them illegal. Our student has been working extra hours to pay them and to support his family in Guatemala. Not ignoring that this kid lives here by himself and has no support from anyone. He only owes $2000 out of the $5000, but if he does not pay that by February 1, they will kill his family in his country. He works so hard and does not sleep trying to get that money together, but he is so stressed out. We want to reach out to everyone to ask for help. IF we can get people to donate whatever you guys can to help him out with this debt that will be great. He comes late some time because he works until late but we don’t want him to drop out of school. We want to support him with anything that we can.

Twenty days later the assistant principal proceeded to send an email via the school listserv asking for money to help pay off the debt.

We do not see anything in the documents to indicate that law enforcement was ever contacted.

In an email dated Jan. 31, 2023, a school board member named Ty’Relle Stephens reportedly claimed that those who were angry about the situation were “right-wing extremists.” In the email obtained by PDE, he added that he would try to “control the narrative,” (via Parents Defending Education):

I am writing to follow up about PR damage control regarding the Coyote email. The media has portrayed PPSD staff as knowingly aiding and abetting human traffickers, which has incensed right-wing extremists. At this time, if we are able to say unequivocally that that is not the case, let’s make it happen. If we are able to say PPSD staff need more training surrounding illegal immigration, let’s make it happen.

The Tucker Carlson Tonight talk show and other news media has reached out to me as you can see below. I have declined to comment because I’m waiting for RIDE/PPSD to draft a response to control the narrative. But I’m getting tired of PPSD always in the news for all the wrong reasons. What can we do to turn things around? Please advise.

In January, The Providence Journal reported that the assistant principal was placed on paid leave after she sent the email soliciting funds for the “coyote.” 

“Rather than making ad hominem attacks at people who were rightly outraged by the district’s actions, perhaps these officials would be well-served to review the laws they are charged with upholding. Not only did Providence school officials betray the public’s trust, but it appears they also knowingly violated federal law," Nicki Neily, president of PDE, told Townhall. "This merits immediate investigation both by the state and federal government in order to prevent future students from being placed in such a dangerous position."