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Community speakers urge Salem‑Keizer to divest Student Investment Account funds from Yonder pouches, citing immigrant student safety
Summary
Multiple public commenters told the board the district’s use of Yonder phone pouches — funded from the Student Investment Account — harms immigrant students, and asked the board to redirect funds toward counselors and mental‑health supports.
Several community members and advocacy groups used the public‑comment period at the March 11 board meeting to urge Salem‑Keizer School District to stop using Yonder phone pouches in schools and to reallocate Student Investment Account (SIA) funds to counseling and other student supports.
Maria Young, introduced as a community member, said the pouch program — which she described as costing “$213,000 up to a million” — increases “toxic stress” for immigrant students and cuts off students’ ability to communicate with families or community resources during the school…
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