Ed Orozco, a student representative from North St. Paul High School, told the North St. Paul–Maplewood–Oakdale School Board on Dec. 16 that reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and social‑media posts supporting arrests have left some students afraid to attend school.

“I am asking this district to clearly define how we will prevent discrimination in response to harmful behavior and actively protect the students who are living in fear every single day,” Orozco said, describing classmates who he said were staying home or carrying passports out of fear. He urged the board to consider disciplinary approaches similar to those used by other districts for online posts that threaten or target marginalized groups.

The board and district leaders framed Orozco’s comments as both testimonial and a call to action. Superintendent Tucci Osorio said the district has seen a short‑term decline in attendance in some buildings and urged families and students to report harassment so staff can respond. “We do have our anonymous tip line,” the superintendent said, encouraging use of that system for concerns that may have a nexus to school.

District officials described practical steps they are taking: direct outreach through the office of educational equity and school liaisons, counseling and social‑work supports, reminders about reporting procedures, and targeted family contact where attendance drops. Assistant administrators and principals said staff are contacting families and, in some cases, arranging grocery deliveries or other support for households reluctant to leave home.

Orozco also highlighted community service and student activities in his report — including a North High NHS trip that packaged 23,760 meals for Feed My Starving Children — but returned the discussion to safety: “Silence and inaction are not neutral,” he said, calling for clear protections for students on district property.

Board members thanked the student for speaking and asked staff to continue outreach; the superintendent said more communication and targeted supports will continue and that school leaders are coordinating with counselors and liaisons to follow up.

Next steps: district leaders said they will continue direct family outreach, encourage use of the anonymous tip line, and revisit safety and communication plans in upcoming meetings. The board also reiterated its commitment to intervene where harassment has a clear connection to a school environment.