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Parents, students ask Linn‑Mar board to adopt resolution protecting students regardless of immigration status
Summary
Speakers from Marion Alliance for Racial Equity and community members asked the Linn‑Mar board to adopt a resolution affirming support for students and families regardless of citizenship or immigration status and to provide resource connections, staff training and clear protocols for immigration‑related requests.
Speakers at the Linn‑Mar Community School District board meeting pressed the board to adopt a resolution affirming the district’s commitment to a safe, nondiscriminatory learning environment for students regardless of citizenship or immigration status.
The request came during the audience‑communication period from parents and community members affiliated with the Marion Alliance for Racial Equity. Vanessa Reno, who identified herself as a parent in the district and a member of the Marion Alliance for Racial Equity, told the board, “The Linn‑Mar school district educates students who come to our community from around the world,” and urged action to address anxiety among students from mixed‑status families.
Why it matters: speakers said fear about immigration enforcement can harm students’ attendance, learning and well‑being, and they asked the board to pair any resolution with operational steps so families can access support.
Iris Strong, who described herself as a prior district employee, summarized items included in a draft resolution the group provided: “This resolution is not just words. It is a promise backed by clear actions.” She listed provisions the group asked be included — that immigration enforcement requests “go through the superintendent,” that schools be treated as safe zones, that staff receive training on nondiscrimination and emergency protocols, and that the district partner with community organizations to provide legal and support resources.
Former Linn‑Mar student Brianna Clymer said she is the daughter of immigrants and urged the board to “review and adopt this resolution, which affirms the district’s commitment to protecting and supporting all students and families, regardless of their immigration status.” Ana Yolanda Gonzalez (also identified in the remarks as Ana Clymer), speaking as a member of the Marion Alliance for Racial Equity and as a longtime district resident, recounted concern for students and college‑age relatives and asked the board to make a public statement of support.
The board did not take formal action on the request during the meeting. Speakers asked specifically that the board and superintendent provide families with information and connections to organizations offering legal and support services, adopt a formal resolution affirming nondiscrimination and safety, clarify how the district will handle immigration‑related requests to campuses, and provide staff training. The speakers emphasized that the requested resolution be paired with concrete procedures rather than only symbolic language.
Next steps: the speakers said they had submitted a draft resolution to the district; the board did not announce a timetable to consider or vote on a resolution during this meeting.
