Immigrant-family advocates press BCPS to convert guidance into binding district policy after student protests
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Summary
Community advocates and parents urged the Board of Education to convert BCPS’s recent immigration guidance into a formal policy providing privacy protections and clear staff protocols; advocates also asked the board to complete mandated anti-bias training required by Senate Bill 293 (effective July 2025). Superintendent reported data on Feb. 6 student protests and reiterated rights and behavioral expectations.
Several public speakers at the Feb. 10 board meeting asked Baltimore County Public Schools to convert recently updated immigration guidance into a binding district policy.
Edwin Perez, an immigrant-rights advocate, thanked BCPS for its updated guidance but said guidance alone is insufficient: "Guidance is a suggestion. Policy is a promise," he told the board, urging a permanent policy that protects student privacy, formalizes a districtwide safe zone and commits to continuous 'know your rights' training.
Parent Lauren Ty Meredith asked the board to adopt a policy drafted by TABCO and CASA (submitted in April 2025) that she said protects children’s privacy and provides clear rules for staff responding to immigration authorities. Meredith also referenced Senate Bill 293, which requires county boards to complete anti-bias training at least once during members’ terms (effective July 2025), and urged the board to move forward with that training.
Superintendent Dr. Rogers reported on student protests on Feb. 6 and offered factual context for the board: staff and law enforcement reported 39 protests were planned, 36 were held, and 5,797 participants took part across the system; BCPS coordinated with Baltimore County Police Department to maintain student safety, and the superintendent reiterated that peaceful assembly is permitted while disruptive speech or behavior may be restricted by school authorities.
Board response and next steps: Miss Pumphrey (policy review committee chair) said she will request that the policy review committee reconsider and draft a formal policy on immigration-related protocols and student-data safeguards at the committee’s March 16 meeting. Dr. Rogers and staff said they would provide staff and legal analyses as the board’s policy review committee considers next steps.
Key quotes: "Guidance is a suggestion. Policy is a promise," Edwin Perez said. "Students have the right to freedom of speech, religion, and the right to organize and assemble peacefully," Dr. Rogers said while noting staff may prohibit disruptive behavior in line with the student handbook.
The board agreed to place the item on the policy review committee agenda for further drafting and review.