Public commenters urge BVSD to form immigrant‑student protections task force

Two public commenters told the Boulder Valley School District board on Nov. 18 that the district should adopt clearer, districtwide protections for immigrant students.

Richard Garcia asked the board to "create what I'm calling a Protect Our Immigrant Students and Families Task Force," citing what he called key provisions in "Senate bill 25 2 76" (as he stated them) and urging the district to adopt protocols that require immigration authorities to present a judicial warrant before accessing nonpublic areas of schools. Garcia said he has discussed the proposal with teachers and parents and offered to participate in a task force.

Teresa (Terry) Garcia, a former bilingual teacher at University Hill, asked the district to develop a strategic plan to safeguard immigrant students and to communicate that plan clearly to families and staff. "The students need to know that the district is set and ready to protect every kiddo," she said, pressing the board for districtwide clarity rather than relying on principal-level protocols.

Both commenters said BVSD has existing strengths to build on: Richard Garcia referenced the district's privacy protections for LGBTQ and transgender students as a model to adapt for immigrant protections; Teresa Garcia said the district can rely on partners such as local law enforcement, the University of Colorado and Boulder County organizations.

Board members acknowledged the requests and, later in the meeting, a board member asked for SB-related discussion to be placed on a future agenda. No formal action or new policy was adopted at the meeting; speakers asked for staff follow-up and community engagement on next steps.