Taos board adopts new law‑enforcement checks, affirms schools as safe places for all students

President Flores opened a Feb. 5 Taos Municipal Schools Board meeting where the board approved two measures aimed at protecting students from off‑campus law‑enforcement actions and clarifying the district’s stance on access to public education.

The board voted to revise Policy J3400 (student interrogations, searches and arrests) to require that any request by law‑enforcement or other government agencies — cited in the revision as “for example, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement” — be verified in writing and authorized before school staff allow interviews on campus. The board also adopted a separate resolution stating the district’s commitment to providing free public education to all students and saying the district will not collect or disclose immigration status except where required by law.

Superintendent Alberto Moreno Layton presented the proposed changes and read the resolution aloud during the meeting. He said the revisions add clarity about how principals and central office staff should handle off‑campus agency requests: “The principal request identification of reauthorization form … and will verify the legitimate request by the individual's agency,” Layton said while describing the new verification steps included in the policy language.

General counsel was present to advise the board and recommended that, given the “emergency conditions” of federal guidance at the time, the board waive its normal two‑reading process and adopt the policy on first reading. The board voted to waive the second reading and approved the policy revision.

The board then considered and adopted a resolution stating that Taos Municipal Schools is committed to creating a “safe and inclusive environment for all students, staff and families” and that the district “shall not collect or disclose information regarding the immigration status of students, staff or families unless required by law.” Superintendent Layton read the resolution as part of the discussion and urged implementation steps including staff training and community outreach.

Votes at a glance - Revision to Policy J3400 (student interrogations, searches and arrests): approved (roll call recorded during meeting) - Board resolution committing the district to provide free public education and not to disclose immigration status except as required by law: approved (roll call recorded during meeting)

What the moves mean - School staff must now request and verify identification and written authorization from any agency seeking to interview or remove a student on campus, unless a legal warrant or exigent circumstance exists that by law overrides school process. - The district’s resolution declares a public commitment to protect students’ access to education and to coordinate staff training and community outreach to implement that commitment.

Board members who spoke during the discussion emphasized that the measures are intended to protect students’ safety and preserve trust between families and schools. Several board members described the changes as necessary clarifications meant to ensure school leaders follow a consistent verification process when an outside agency requests access to a student on campus.

The board instructed the superintendent to follow up with an implementation plan, including staff training and an updated administrative process showing what documentation law‑enforcement must provide before schools allow interviews or removals of students.

Timing and next steps Superintendent Layton said the administration will prepare implementation steps and bring them back to the board. He also said principals were already briefed on the expectations and that district security staff had been instructed on the updated procedures. The board did not specify an additional timeline for the staff training but directed the superintendent to report back with implementation details.