A number of Clark County faculty boards are discussing and clarifying their districts’ insurance policies on immigration because the federal authorities steps up enforcement.
A Jan. 21 directive from the Division of Homeland Safety opened the door for its immigration officers to detain folks in beforehand protected locations, together with faculties. County faculty districts reacted by sending letters to households assuring them of their insurance policies to guard college students.
The Vancouver, Evergreen and Ridgefield faculty boards mentioned insurance policies at their Tuesday conferences.
“There’s been a lot of uncertainty around changes at the federal level and policy and executive orders and trying to make sense of those, especially sometimes when they run in conflict with our state laws,” Vancouver Superintendent Jeff Snell mentioned. “We’ve done our best to try to share what we know and how we’re trying to support students and families and making sure people feel safe and want to come to our schools.”
After Vancouver Public Colleges’ new proposed Immigrant and Refugee College students, Households, and Employees coverage was learn for the primary time, board members voted unanimously to maneuver it on to a second studying.
The coverage expands on Vancouver’s present practices relating to entry to college students and scholar data at faculties however with extra depth and element.
Fort Vancouver Excessive College English instructor Bethany Rivard advised the board “clear guidance needs to be communicated around what happens if staff breaches protocol in regards to student information.”
She requested how employees will know who can be coping with regulation enforcement, not solely in school in the course of the day, but additionally at bus stops, school-sanctioned features and extracurricular actions.
“As a parent and educator, I know that we all agree that student safety is paramount,” Rivard mentioned. “And I’m here to just suggest that the clearest of expectations will help make some students, staff and families feel more safe expecting what will happen.”
“Several students voiced to the board that they would like to have a chance to give input on the resolution before it is finalized, and the board is going to honor that request,” Birnbach mentioned.
The decision would affirm “the provision of safe, welcoming and inclusive schools for all students without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, income level, disability, national origin or immigration/citizenship status.”
Ridgefield’s faculty board on Tuesday unanimously adopted a brand new coverage relating to interviews and interrogations of scholars on faculty premises.
“This policy is not one that we have had in place before in Ridgefield School District, but it outlines the relationship that we have with other agencies,” Superintendent Jenny Rodriquez mentioned. “It states that we value those relationships but also that we’re seeking as an educational entity to minimize the interruption of our instructional program.”
The coverage states that any interviews or interrogations by any company must be carried out on the company or a scholar’s house, and solely on faculty premises in sure circumstances, together with when investigations are school-initiated, or wanting into baby abuse or prison allegations.
“In contrast to the limited circumstances noted above, the work of immigration agents does not overlap with the work or duties of the district,” the coverage states. “This is because the district’s obligation to educate the children residing within its borders is not diminished by the children or parents’ immigration status.”