Merced County education officials double down on support for immigrant student safeguards

The county’s top education officials have doubled down on their commitment to educate students, regardless of immigration status, by passing a “safe and secure schools” resolution.

The resolution passed last week by the Merced County Board of Education avoids terms such as “safe haven” or “sanctuary” but reaffirms that students have the right to attend campuses that are “safe, secure and peaceful.”

The resolution relies on precedent set by a 1982 Supreme Court case, Plyler v. Doe, which prohibited public schools from denying students access to education based on their immigration status.

Although such resolutions mostly are a symbolic gesture, they reinforce that the Merced County Office of Education won’t share student information regarding immigration status or allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on school sites without permission.

The resolution comes after President Donald Trump promised to build a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, withhold federal funding from so-called sanctuary cities and end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an executive order President Barack Obama created in 2012 that gives minors brought to the U.S. illegally a temporary reprieve from deportation.

The Public Policy Institute of California estimated in 2011 that there were about 22,000 unauthorized immigrants living in Merced County.

At a large parent conference over the weekend, Superintendent of Schools Steve Tietjen announced the adoption of the resolution to an auditorium full of parents, many listening to the Spanish translation of the presentation through a headset. The announcement was received with thunderous applause.

“I want you all to feel secure when you’re called and asked to go to school and have a parent conference,” Tietjen said. “You’re being asked to come because we want you to interact with the school. Your children are safe at school.”

Dennis Hanks, a trustee on the county Board of Education, said in an interview with the Sun-Star that he was in favor of everything stated in the resolution.

“It’s sad we have to make a resolution stating obvious facts,” he said. “Part of going to school is making sure students are protected.”

Chris Chavez, chairman of the board, said families shouldn’t be deterred from visiting their children’s schools. “Without children, we’re lost.”

Other county districts have taken steps to protect their students, parents and information. Planada and Livingston school districts earlier this year passed safe haven resolutions.

Alan Peterson, superintendent of Merced Union High School District, sent guidelines in January to campus administrators on how to respond to students, parents or community members who ask about the district’s practices regarding immigration access.

The guidelines say unless there is a warrant, ICE agents aren’t allowed on district property without superintendent permission, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act prohibits schools from providing student information to third parties, including ICE. Parents have the right and are encouraged to participate in their children’s education.

Le Grand Union High School District posted similar guidelines on the district website for parents.

On Sunday, the California School Boards Association issued legal guidelines for boards looking to pass safe haven or sanctuary policies.

Keith J. Bray, CSBA general counsel and director of the Education Legal Alliance, noted that the Plyler v. Doe case reinforced public schools’ mission to help all students succeed in college, careers and civic life.

This story was originally published February 27, 2017 at 4:42 PM with the headline "Merced County education officials double down on support for immigrant student safeguards."