Superintendent: district guidance aims to protect student protest safety, not silence student voice

Superintendent Aguirre used his opening update to clarify recent guidance about student protests and student voice.

Aguirre said the guidance "does not seek to curtail expression. Rather, it indicates that schools will work with student leaders to identify appropriate spaces on campus." He told trustees the guidance is aligned with state requirements that allow students one instance of excused absence per year for protest participation, but said the district requests prior notification and encourages students to go directly to off‑site protests rather than leaving school en masse.

Aguirre emphasized the guidance is neutral on subject matter — whether protests concern immigration enforcement, the environment or taxes — and said the district’s priority is safety. He asked the community to avoid projecting bias onto the guidance and said parameters exist to preserve student safety while allowing expression.