Parents press Alvin ISD on voting access, chaplains pilot, protests and ICE notification policy
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Summary
Multiple public commenters urged the board to improve voting access for May elections, consider a chaplains pilot, investigate racial incidents at a junior high, and adopt clearer ICE notification policies after claims that parents would be notified only if a child is taken.
Several parents and community members used the board's open forum to press Alvin ISD trustees on voter access, proposed school chaplains, campus racial incidents and the district's response to federal immigration enforcement.
Monica Morgan, a longtime Brazoria County election volunteer, asked the board to seek extended hours and more voting locations for the May trustee election so working residents can vote, suggesting school sites on Saturdays when feasible. The board and superintendent discussed prior experience and legal limits; trustees noted county responsibility for polling sites but said the district has previously worked with clerks when asked.
Raul Risquero, representing the National School Chaplains Association, urged the district to pilot state-authorized chaplain programs, saying the law passed in 2023 provides state funding and, in his account, produced positive outcomes in other districts after a two-year implementation. He asked the board to select a campus for a one- to two-year trial period.
Parent Shanteria Jackson described racially charged name-calling directed at her child at Harvey Junior High, said school responses felt insufficient and that communication and grading practices were inconsistent; she reported withdrawing her daughter and asked trustees to review withdrawal trends and ensure equity and clearer communication.
Ashley Dobberstein asked why Alvin ISD has no clear policy to notify parents if U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) comes to campus. She said she had been told by the district safety director that "Alvin ISD will comply with ICE and parents will only be notified if their child is taken," and urged the board to adopt transparent notification protocols rather than informing parents only after an arrest or removal.
Board members listened and thanked speakers; no immediate policy changes were announced during the meeting. Trustees reiterated their role limitations and invited further follow-up through district staff and the superintendent's office.
