Student Led Effort: Resolution Supporting Immigrant Students & Families Adopted by Board
SFUSD Board of Education Unanimously Supports "Undocumented, Unafraid and United, Students Resolution"
Applause broke out in the SFUSD Board Room following adoption of a comprehensive resolution that codified existing SFUSD policy on protecting the rights of undocumented and immigrant students and families and expanded protections and services to be provided by SFUSD.
Student delegates Jessica Eng and Maria Zaragoza brought this resolution to the SFUSD Board of Education in January, with co-sponsorship from Board President Shamann Walton and Vice President Matt Haney. The student delegates worked to shepherd the resolution through several revisions and did outreach to galvanized community support.
Zaragoza, reflecting on the process concluded that "the greatest experience is to interact with the students, families ... (it) makes you more human." Eng noted that the fact that the resolution may be a precedent for resolutions brought by students in other cities is "a powerful thing."
Commissioner Haney and Commissioner Stevon Cook both referred to the resolution as one of the "most important polices" they had voted on as a board this year, with Haney adding that "it is not a coincidence that it was student led."
The resolution would require SFUSD to bolster support for the immigrant community, especially students impacted by threats to undocumented residents.
Many protections and supports are enumerated in the resolution, including strengthened privacy protections, guidelines for school staff in dealing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), expansion of resources for undocumented and mixed status students and families and increased staff training on cultural sensitivity and specific supports for undocumented and immigrant students and families.
PPS-SF endorsed the resolution and spoke in support of its passage at the Board of Education Meeting, noting in particular the alignment of the goals of the resolution with concerns SFUSD families voiced during this year's Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) community engagement process.