Chula Vista board amends site‑safety policy, calls for clearer Raptor rollout after hours of public comment

The Chula Vista Board of Education on a unanimous vote approved amended language for its site‑safety policy that clarifies how the district will use the Raptor visitor‑management system and how parents may access campuses during arrival and dismissal. The action followed an extended public comment period in which dozens of parents, teachers and staff described competing priorities: maintaining campus security while preserving parents’ daily access to help young children start the school day.

Why it matters: Parents and educators said the policy as implemented at some schools had restricted family participation at dropoff and limited short, routine exchanges between parents and teachers. Others, including school administrators, said the Raptor system helps identify people barred from campus and strengthens accountability.

What happened: The policy update — listed on the agenda as “Article 13f — plantel seguro” — was presented by district staff who explained how Raptor works (QR codes, scanning and registration). Community speakers pressed for exceptions or phased pilots, extra staffing, and clearer districtwide instructions. José Miranda, a parent and U.S. military veteran, said he supported safety but asked the board to allow parents “que me dejen entrar y llevar a mi hijo hasta que esté en el salón de clases.” Administrators and representatives for classified staff said the intent was to keep campuses safe and requested time to implement the system properly.

Board response and next steps: The board voted to approve the amended policy language, recorded as a 5–0 motion. Board members and the superintendent said they would circulate clearer instructions to families and staff and that district leadership would send outreach materials about Raptor and how parents can register. The motion resulted in direction for additional communication and for implementation guidance to be distributed to schools.

Quotes: “El sistema Raptor existe para verificar y para proteger,” said parent José Miranda during public comment. Superintendent Dr. Reyes and a district technology presenter described training and messaging efforts already underway.

What the vote did not do: The action updated policy language and approved implementation steps; it did not eliminate future board oversight or preclude further amendments. Several parents and teachers requested follow‑up reporting on how the policy is functioning after rollout.

The board continued later business after the vote.