Public commenter urges clarity on school resource officers and immigration enforcement; student representatives say some students feel safer with SROs

A member of the public urged the Lake Oswego School District board to clarify the role of school resource officers and to consider pausing SRO deployment amid concerns about interaction with immigration-enforcement agencies.

Levi Barnes, who provided in-person testimony, said he was concerned that school resource officers could become agents of immigration enforcement and recommended the district clarify policy so students know that reports or disclosures in school will not lead to contact with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Barnes proposed temporarily removing SROs "for a time" while the district assesses the immigration landscape, suggesting until the end of the school year as an example. He also urged clearer written guidance on SRO roles and district interaction with outside enforcement agencies.

Student representatives spoke in response during the student-report portion of the meeting. One student representative said that, at Oswego High School, students "love" the resource officer Ryan Sheldon and that many students report feeling safer with him in the building. The student added that while some students of color might view SROs differently, fellow students express that the presence of a resource officer makes them feel safer and that removing officers could change that perception.

Board members did not take action on the matter during the meeting; the comments were submitted as public testimony for the board's consideration.