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Superintendent outlines procedure for law-enforcement and immigration visits to schools, citing FERPA and legal review
Summary
Superintendent Guy reviewed the district's procedures for contacts from immigration agents and law enforcement: staff must verify identification and paperwork, district lawyers will review requests, and parents will usually be notified; the board asked for clarification about birth certificates and staff protections.
Superintendent Guy told the Los Alamos Public Schools board on Feb. 11 that the district will follow strict steps when law-enforcement or immigration agents seek access to students or student records.
The procedures require school staff to verify and copy the agents' identification and any court paperwork, inform school and district leaders, and notify district legal counsel before releasing records or allowing interviews. "They will give us guidance and directions on what we how we handle it or what we comply with," Superintendent Guy said, describing the role of counsel.
The district emphasized that routine requests will be handled in a controlled way and that parents will normally be notified before staff release student information. Presenters said a warrant or subpoena signed by a magistrate is typically required for agents to detain or remove a student or staff member; legal counsel will verify documents and provide direction in every case. The superintendent said the district has an on-call legal line and that counsel is generally responsive during business hours.
Officials said some documents commonly suggested in public discussion—such as copies of birth certificates or place-of-birth records—are not maintained in a district master file. Secretaries routinely verify identity when enrolling students but do not retain copies of birth certificates for the district database. "We do not collect copies of birth certificates ... we don't keep that information on file," Superintendent Guy told the board.
Board members asked about staff protections and whether staff or parents would be notified if law enforcement sought a staff member. The superintendent said procedures for staff mirror those for students, and in urgent cases verified by court order law enforcement can act; otherwise, the district seeks legal guidance and parental notification.
District legal counsel Wash Gyagos was cited as a recurring resource; the superintendent said legal counsel reviews every request to produce records or interview students and provides immediate guidance when asked.
Administrators said they have refreshed training and checklists for office staff and principals, and have practiced scenarios at school sites to ensure the front office knows to copy identification, retain paperwork and call the district office for consultation. The board did not take formal action on the presentation but asked that the district continue outreach to families and student liaisons so the community understands the procedures.
