[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6666931,"mediaKeyId","2292453-d74eda941393c305554a274bc8f62b1b","parentId",2292453,"title","Community urges Red Clay to adopt protections for undocumented students; board to revisit committee policy 09/2004","audioSeconds",271,"startMs",202000,"endMs",473000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2292453-d74eda941393c305554a274bc8f62b1b&start=202&end=473","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2292453-d74eda941393c305554a274bc8f62b1b/thumbnail_202000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6666931/Delaware/Community-urges-Red-Clay-to-adopt-protections-for-undocumented-students-board-to-revisit-committee-policy-092004","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6666931-a0aec6167adeffa85124192684f834c5/orig.mp4?Expires=1770957451&Signature=IjzBhKVy~zNoYqlSylOWldSl3FD8hMcRYv4DhymF2Lj~uzqbFHyE5CUDX9e7lBDDbAtLnLbiKzmtFCnoYS3eqG1pL28CFolsHiKUiCJEImSjX~jXKjrF51M1DOpvc0C6dlj3PWnfOGuzfRCZV~bScMewYi4ogBXi080dJj-VimECZEt2ho8-Q233c6feBuK4EJSMvdLONF3EO5BXErGCdsdU2~ci5EuRNb3b3iX7~nUTgl5L6W3mnQpn4Tprkf5xvBnYjp8n~UXELcF1vMEK7SmaXlxELkBC3LOCqKiJV6BIeJE~scDUQpQTrbE4d~tBJz--mOAL96AQ6Yj3-O5jeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Red Clay Consolidated School District","date","2025-02-13T01:15:07.85Z","article","Several community members used the Red Clay Consolidated School District public-comment period on Feb. 12 to press the board for stronger, written protections for students with undocumented family members and to ask the board to reopen discussion of how its policy-review committee operates.

James Taylor, a community member who spoke during public comment, called on the board to adopt \"an official policy of noncooperation with ICE raids on school property,\" saying the district should be \"safe havens and temples of learning, not places where some children are forced to grow up with the constant threat of losing their parents.\" Taylor acknowledged potential federal consequences but said the board should act \"in the interest of the rights and dignity of all the students and families in the Red Clay School District, but especially those with undocumented family members.\" He invoked Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s phrase \"an inescapable network of mutuality.\" (James Taylor, public comment)

Hadrian Sissel, a member of the district's board policy review committee representing Nominating District E, urged the board to hold a separate public meeting to discuss policy 09/2004, which governs board advisory committees. Sissel said the committee's chair \"is not elected by the committee,\" that committee meetings have not followed Robert's Rules and that the chair has advanced edits and taken drafts to the full board despite opposition from other committee members. He asked the board to schedule a special public session so \"every board member can have input, and the public can be involved by being able to listen in on the discussion.\" (Hadrian Sissel, public comment)

Jenny Howard, who identified herself as a community member, thanked the district for an earlier resolution reaffirming support for immigrant students and referenced the U.S. Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe, noting the court held that a state may not deny access to public education to children based on immigration status. Howard said that legal background and the district's stated commitments made it appropriate to place immigrant-protection language into board policy. (Jenny Howard, public comment)

Naya Cruz, president of the Red Clay Secretaries Association, testified about the role of school secretaries as \"the first faces...who interact with Red Clay\" families and thanked district leadership for collaboration. Cruz said the district's practices should reflect protections and continuity of services for families with concerns about immigration enforcement. (Naya Cruz, public comment)

Board members and staff response

Board members and administrative staff did not adopt a new policy at the meeting. Several trustees and staff acknowledged the ongoing committee-level work on policy 09/2004 and agreed to move the policy-review discussion to a publicly noticed committee meeting. Board members noted the policy had been before the board multiple times and emphasized the need to provide community notice and an opportunity for comment before any adoption.

Why it matters

Speakers emphasized that placing a noncooperation or explicit student-protection policy into the board’s written rules would shift the district from a verbal or resolution-level commitment to an explicit directive governing staff conduct during interactions with immigration enforcement. Community members said formal policy would provide clarity to staff and families and ensure consistent district practice.

What was not decided

No formal change to district policy was adopted at the Feb. 12 meeting. Board members directed staff and the policy review committee to continue work, post materials on BoardDocs and make public meetings available for comment; a March meeting date and a February 26 policy-review meeting were referenced by multiple speakers.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Multiple public commenters at the Feb. 12 Red Clay school board meeting urged the district to adopt an explicit policy protecting students with undocumented family members and asked the board to reopen review of policy 09/2004 governing advisory committees.","taxTitle","Red Clay Consolidated School District, School Districts, Delaware","taxId",13109,"location","Delaware","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6666936,"Red Clay board approves school choice invitations, final budget and safety resolution; accepts donations",50,2748000,2798000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2292453-d74eda941393c305554a274bc8f62b1b&start=2748&end=2798","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2292453-d74eda941393c305554a274bc8f62b1b/thumbnail_2748000.jpg","/articles/6666936/Delaware/Red-Clay-board-approves-school-choice-invitations-final-budget-and-safety-resolution-accepts-donations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6666936-23a8525b93662638c246fccbe2e7a07f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770957451&Signature=KSAZJwMmOkATcNH-KLZ-~fb0IOCUrHPl6DkhGm6hRxtKDGzkLCrqJtIybXC72zGG2PHFOZ725yOv96YBtnNBeeKTNIK-TrYRX3s6z3DiZEplFfo7AqHBj8iDzAUSrzB05kEMsdFnRWgCOd9VKH8xxM40tUem-y62wNGyjWwCDOVXxPfD4boqg7LpL1vCCW-C6ge9SMm9XIaICL8OAcfwQKGg7ukUXdrVXSOqGas-l9-HzUIx3TPSsrLQS9hruz4HO6nYK8BIVOTeEnV3Z~MWmFQ47221m5PFWfMBTKR9DpPpcfvdWzE7sPxYDNUeXGY6bWgvW0DaW~PpStwKYsU04A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Red Clay Consolidated School District Board of Education voted unanimously Feb. 12 to approve its School Choice recommendations for the 2025–26 school year, adopt a final FY25 budget estimate and approve revisions to a Safe and Inclusive School Resolution, among several other items.

The votes came during a regularly scheduled meeting at Richardson Park Auditorium and by hybrid remote access. Board President Matthews presided; Ms. Stevens called roll before the votes were taken.

School choice and invitations

The board approved the school choice recommendations as presented by district staff. The motion to approve was moved by Mr. Wilson and seconded by Kathy Thompson and passed by voice roll call with all members voting in the affirmative. The district reported 3,251 total applications for the most popular entry grades: 457 kindergarten, 1,028 for sixth grade and 1,066 for ninth grade. The district will send 2,052 invitations (1,509 in-district; 599 out-of-district) and reported a 1,165-person waitlist; staff said 320 on the waitlist will receive an invite to a lower-choice school, 401 are Red Clay students who received no invite to any of their choices, and 440 are out-of-district. Parents must accept invitations by March 21 except kindergarten, which remains a rolling application through the first day of school.

Final budget

The board approved the FY25 final budget estimate on a motion by Neesmith, seconded by Susan Sander; the motion passed unanimously. District staff said state Division 1 salary funding (state share for employee salaries and benefits) increased about 8.6% from the preliminary budget because of higher unit counts and state salary scale adjustments. On the local side, staff reported a roughly 0.1% overall change to local expenses, driven primarily by a 4% rise in related-services costs and a 0.5% increase in local salaries due mainly to step increases and workforce changes. The district projects an ending fund balance of approximately $5.5 million and noted this is the first year referendum funds are flowing in and reversing prior deficit spending patterns.

Safe and Inclusive School Resolution and donations

The board approved revisions to the Safe and Inclusive School Resolution by voice vote; the motion was moved by Kathy Thompson and seconded by Miss English. The board also accepted a $25,000 donation from the Eagles Autism Foundation to Joseph B. Johnson Elementary School for sensory-needs improvements (motion: Thompson; second: Nesmith); a $500 donation from Edward Johnvier to the Red Clay girls wrestling program to cover officials, trainer and T-shirts (motion: Wilson; second: Thompson); and $5,000 in gift cards from Albertsons Company (via ACME programs) to distribute to schools as needed (motion: Thompson; second: Wilson). All donations were approved by unanimous voice vote.

Consent agenda and committee items

The consent agenda was approved on a single motion and voice vote; no items were removed for separate consideration. Committee reports and informational items followed; board members noted upcoming meetings and community engagement opportunities.

Why it matters

Approving the final budget establishes the district's spending plan and sets the starting point for operations through the end of the fiscal year; school choice invitations determine placements for more than 2,000 students and influence enrollment and staffing across the district. The DOJ-funded programs and donated funds approved at the meeting will directly affect services and materials at the school level.

What the board did not decide

Board discussion on other policy matters continued and a separate agenda item to revisit board policy 09/2004 was placed on the calendar for committee review and broader public notice; no policy adoption on that topic occurred at this meeting.","At its Feb. 12 meeting the Red Clay Consolidated School District board voted unanimously to approve the 2025–26 school choice invitations, adopt the FY25 final budget estimate and approve revisions to the district's Safe and Inclusive School Resolution. The board also accepted three donations and approved the consent agenda.","actionData","errors"]

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Community urges Red Clay to adopt protections for undocumented students; board to revisit committee policy 09/2004

Red Clay board approves school choice invitations, final budget and safety resolution; accepts donations