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San Dieguito board hears urgent community pleas on immigrant student safety and support
Summary
After a staff briefing on translated resources, crisis response and anonymous reporting, more than a dozen public speakers urged the San Dieguito board for clearer outreach, 'safe‑zone' coordination with cities and practical supports amid immigration‑enforcement fears; staff said procedures and a 24/7 tip line are in place.
The San Dieguito Union High School District heard a steady stream of public pleas and practical questions about immigrant‑student safety at its Sept. 11 meeting as staff outlined district resources and protocols intended to reassure families.
District staff described a package of supports for immigrant students, including translated handouts, a 24/7 anonymous WeTip reporting tool displayed on student ID cards and bathroom signage, guidance for administrators on nondiscrimination and a crisis‑team response to site incidents. "All of these handouts are still available on our website," the staff presenter said, noting community partnerships with groups such as Casa de Amistad and MiraCosta College.
But public commenters said the outreach had fallen short. "These students are scared to attend school," said Joanna Buxton, a special‑education advocate, urging the board to close the gap between written policy and students’ lived experience. Several speakers said district web pages and Spanish translations were missing or returned errors when they tried to access legal‑resources links.
Multiple parents and community groups urged the district to pursue practical protections beyond emails: an iconographically clear FAQ on how parents can request classroom information, district‑city coordination to expand 'safe‑zone' streets near schools and in‑person "know‑your‑rights" workshops in multiple formats. "Words of support are not enough," said Jamie Gear, a parent and member of a grassroots LGBTIQA+ families group, asking for staff training in cultural competence and a public press conference to reassure families.
School leaders answered procedural questions from trustees about when a site administrator should notify the superintendent's office. The superintendent's office said site leaders should immediately notify district staff about hate incidents, warrant attempts by outside agencies or other emergent safety issues so the district can deploy crisis supports and, when needed, coordinate with law enforcement and city officials.
Trustees pressed for clarity about whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement had ever entered district campuses; staff stated repeatedly that ICE has not come onto SDUHSD property and that campuses are treated as sensitive locations. "If ICE were to show up on campus without a judicial warrant, they are to be turned away unless exigent circumstances exist," a district official said.
Students and staff also urged the board to maintain the district's emphasis on whole‑child supports such as suicide‑prevention activities and increased mental‑health staffing. The superintendent closed the discussion by urging residents to report safety concerns promptly and pointing parents to the district's multilingual handouts and the WeTip system.
The presentation was informational; trustees asked staff to verify that translated materials and website links worked and encouraged staff to return with any recommended procedural clarifications. No formal district policy change or vote was taken on immigration procedures during the meeting.
