BVSD public commenters urge task force and clearer protections for immigrant students, citing recent state legislation

At the public-comment portion of the Nov. 18 Boulder Valley School District board meeting, two community members urged the district to take proactive steps to protect immigrant students and to make those steps transparent to families.

Richard Garcia asked the board to "work with the community and create what I'm calling a Protect Our Immigrant Students and Families Task Force," citing what he identified as "Senate Bill 25 2 76, which is the Colorado Families Belong Together" and urging the district to adopt protocols requiring judicial warrants before immigration enforcement can access non-public school areas. "My ask, of the school district…is to work with the community and create what I'm calling a Protect Our Immigrant Students and Families Task Force," Garcia said, and offered to participate in the effort.

Teresa Garcia, a former University Hill bilingual teacher, also urged the district to "develop a strategic plan that safeguards its immigrant students and effectively communicate this plan to their families," saying that principals being informed about a protocol is "not enough." She recommended involving allies such as local law enforcement and the University of Colorado so families and staff are clear on protections and procedures.

Board members acknowledged the comments; one trustee (Quinlan) later asked for SB 25276 to be placed on a future agenda for discussion. Staff did not announce a formal commitment or timeline for a task force during the meeting.

The speakers framed their requests as proactive steps to protect privacy and prevent classroom interruptions caused by immigration enforcement; the board did not take immediate formal action on the proposals during the session.