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Tempe Union board adopts resolution reaffirming district's commitment to a safe, welcoming environment for all students
Summary
The Tempe Union High School District governing board on Tuesday approved a resolution directing district staff to protect student privacy and clarify procedures for handling law enforcement or immigration requests, passing the measure by a 4-0 roll-call vote.
The Tempe Union High School District governing board on Tuesday approved a resolution titled "Resolution reaffirming commitment to a safe and welcoming environment for all," directing district officials to take steps to protect student privacy and clarify staff guidance on interactions with law enforcement and immigration authorities.
The 4-0 roll-call vote followed public comment from educators and community members urging the board to adopt explicit protections. Rodrigo Palacios, president of the Tempe Secondary Education Association, told the board, "By allowing staff to discuss these protections with students, we ensure that they are informed of their constitutional rights and know where to turn for help." Sherry Johnson, a Tempe Union alum and community member, said she was "pleasantly surprised" to see the resolution on the agenda and urged the board to pass it so other districts might "follow suit."
Board member Nicole Gutierrez Miller, who introduced the resolution, read the final text aloud before the vote. The resolution affirms that the district will continue to welcome all students regardless of immigration status; will not collect information about students' immigration status; and directs that any request by ICE or other law enforcement for school access or student records be referred to the superintendent or handled under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
The board debated the resolution's implementation language during the meeting. Board member Armando Montero asked staff to research and recommend potential amendments to policy JIH rather than obligate the board to complete formal policy changes within a rigid timeframe, citing forthcoming guidance from the Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA). Members agreed on language asking staff to recommend amendments to policy JIH within 30 calendar days rather than forcing immediate board action. The final resolved clauses also direct the counseling department to compile and distribute a list of support organizations and permit staff to discuss the protections with students while directing use of district counselors as needed.
Legal counsel and board members also debated whether to single out school resource officers in the text. Some board members noted SROs operate under intergovernmental agreements with local police departments and are not district employees, while others said explicitly naming them clarified the resolution's intent; the final wording directs requests by ICE or law enforcement, "including school resource officers," to the superintendent or FERPA processes.
The motion to approve the resolution was made by Board member Nicole Gutierrez Miller and seconded (second not specified in the public transcript). The roll-call vote was announced as 4-0 in favor.
The resolution requires district staff to publish and distribute the resolution in English and each family's preferred home language and to make electronic resources available to guide students and families to services. The board also asked staff to return recommended policy amendments for board consideration.
