Parents and community urge district to publish immigrant rights, bolster anti‑racism training after reported incidents

Several parents and community members used the Visalia Unified School District board meeting on Feb. 11 to press the district for clearer, more frequent communications and additional staff training after reports of racial bullying and references to immigration enforcement at school sites.

Nut graf: Speakers — parents, nonprofit staff and students — asked the board to issue direct, multilingual notices about students’ rights if contacted by immigration enforcement, expand anti‑racism and trauma‑informed training for leadership and staff, and make mental‑health resources more available. Superintendent Kirk Schrum and trustees responded that district policy and state law guide district practice and that staff will continue to connect families to existing resources.

Public comment highlights and board response: - Parent Denise Flores Machado described racial bullying her son experienced and asked the board to explain why a superintendent statement on immigration took time to reach the community and to make clear what actions the district is taking beyond policy language. She said she will submit detailed incidents by email for the district to review. - Multiple speakers — including Stacy Boyce, Gabriela Vaca of the California Health Collaborative, Jose Segala, Matteo (Matteo) Fernandez and Tiffany Villegomas — urged the district to issue plain‑language, Spanish‑language notices explaining students’ rights if they encounter immigration enforcement and to expand staff training on anti‑bias, anti‑racism and trauma‑informed practices. - Community members said students reported classmates joking that ICE would be on campus; speakers called those incidents “social toxins” and asked for district‑wide statements, Spanish translations and concrete staff guidance, including training for how to respond when federal immigration agents appear on or near school property.

Superintendent’s reply and district context: - Superintendent Kirk Schrum said the district is guided by the Education Code and state law and by board policy, which prohibit the collection of information about a family’s or a student’s immigration status and treat student information as private except in response to a court order or warrant. He said district staff are working to connect families to the Family Community Resource Center and other community organizations that provide legal and social services, and that district teams are monitoring attendance and supportive services. - Trustee comments: Trustee Vegas urged the board to publish information about students’ constitutional rights and pointed to neighboring districts that have distributed guidance to families and staff. Trustee DeJong said he solicits public input and expressed confidence in the superintendent’s handling of issues while inviting additional emails and documentation from community members.

Ending: The board heard multiple public comments asking for immediate, clear, multilingual information about immigration enforcement rights and more proactive staff training. The superintendent and trustees acknowledged the concerns and described ongoing support programs and next steps for community outreach; no formal board policy change was adopted at the Feb. 11 meeting.