Grand Rapids public commenters, students press board to declare district a 'sanctuary'; superintendent outlines school protocols

At its Jan. 2 meeting, the Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) Board of Education heard a string of public comments urging the board to declare the district a sanctuary for immigrant families and to strengthen school safety and communications.

Students, parents, teachers and community advocates called on the board to adopt policies that would limit the district’s cooperation with federal immigration enforcement and to ensure that families and staff receive clearer guidance and more consistent communication. Student speakers from several GRPS schools asked the board to “create a safe place” for families regardless of immigration status and said fear of deportation has harmed student attendance and well-being.

The board did not vote on a formal sanctuary resolution during the meeting. Instead, Superintendent Dr. Lillian Robbie gave a detailed overview of current district protocols for handling encounters with federal agents…