Parents urge sensitivity on redistricting; board clarifies response to ICE activity near a school
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Summary
During public participation, parents urged the board to consider the social and transportation impacts of redistricting on Bristol Commons and Scioto communities, and a parent asked about district policy for ICE operations; the superintendent said the district issued a statement and referenced existing visitor policies.
Several parents used the public-comment period to urge the board to center unity and student well-being as it resumes redistricting work.
Rachel Cleary, a parent with children in district schools, told the board she was "appalled" by how Scioto had been discussed during the recent redistricting process, saying some comments used coded racist or xenophobic language and that moving neighborhoods such as Bristol Commons would be disruptive to families. Cleary described practical impacts on her household — for example, that a son who currently bikes to Kaufman would face an unsafe route if rezoned — and asked the district to "let the kids stay where they are and finish at their buildings wherever possible." (Public comment: Rachel Cleary.)
Tracy Borkland asked the board to preserve community unity with an "All In" unity campaign during redistricting. She urged survey and engagement questions that force respondents to consider whether they'd want their own children moved, warning that people who feel secure from being moved may answer differently than those at risk of reassignment. Borkland said perceived bias in how questions are framed and who is likely to be moved could risk damaging future levies.
Parent Ishrak Alim raised two related questions about an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation near a district school that had been reported in December: what is the district’s policy about ICE or federal agents operating on campus, and what measures the district can take to ensure student safety when many students lack government-issued ID. Superintendent Dr. Marshhausen responded that the district had issued a statement outlining procedures for visitors to school property and that board policy and a back-to-school letter explain how the district handles official visitors. He said the district would continue to support affected students and families and that school leaders had checked in with the student and family involved over the break.
The public-comments segment closed after the questions; the superintendent later referenced these topics as part of the retreat planning and communication adjustments the district is pursuing.