Public commenters raise student-safety and immigration-related concerns; teacher warns of federal policy impacts

Two public speakers at the Sept. 9 Azusa Unified board meeting urged the board and district staff to address safety and broader policy concerns that they said affect students.

Ron Tressel, who identified himself as a teacher at Azusa High School and a U.S. Marine, said immigration-enforcement activity and federal actions have created fear among students and families. "Immigrations, Customs, and Enforcement have conducted raids in our communities. This has brought fear to our students because some are afraid that they may be picked up by ICE walking to and from school," Tressel said. He also listed federal policies he said could affect higher education funding and admissions and said he would continue to speak at future meetings about actions that concern students.

Another speaker, James Acevedas, described crossings and sidewalks near Valleydale Elementary and in unincorporated parts of Azusa as dangerous and said he had encountered difficulty identifying who is responsible for crossing guards. "They told me that any safety concerns outside of the school, even if they are on the corner of the school property, are not the district's responsibility," Acevedas said, recounting being directed between city, police and district offices. He urged district officials to walk neighborhood routes and see hazardous intersections firsthand and said he has documented photos, video and correspondence to support the concerns.

Both speakers requested follow-up: Tressel offered to submit supporting articles and documents; Acevedas asked district leaders to visit the neighborhoods and examine crossing and sidewalk conditions. The board did not indicate a formal action on these public comments during the meeting record; public comment guidelines presented at the session note that board members do not respond during the comment period and staff will follow up if information is needed.