Students and parents press SFUSD board to preserve newcomer programs and adopt an immigration safety plan
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Summary
Dozens of students, parents and educators told the board that cuts to newcomer programs and declining bilingual staff threaten immigrant students’ sense of safety and learning; speakers urged Superintendent Dr. Hsu and President Phil Kim to meet with youth and community groups and adopt a district‑wide school safety plan related to immigration enforcement.
Several dozen students, parents and educators used public comment time at the March board meeting to urge the San Francisco Unified School District to preserve newcomer programs, restore bilingual staffing and adopt a clear school safety plan to protect students and families from immigration enforcement.
A group of students from Galileo and San Francisco International High School said they had collected postcards and petitions and asked board leadership to meet with youth organizers, parents and community groups. “Every student deserves to learn in an environment free from the fear of immigration enforcement,” said Rafael, a Galileo student. “We are calling on superintendent Maria Hsu to meet with Johanna, parents, and community groups to commit, adopt, and implement the school safety plan.”
Students from SF International described the educational and emotional supports newcomer programs provide. “Our newcomer programs make SFUSD a shining example for the country and the world,” said Jessica Agnos, a community schools coordinator and parent, adding that the programs largely rely on voter‑approved grants and serve the district’s most vulnerable students.
Teachers and staff raised related operational concerns: speech‑language pathologists, TLE/TELI leadership coaches and health teachers described program cuts or thin staffing that they said would reduce critical supports for multilingual learners and students with IEPs. “Without a dedicated health course, young people will get their health education from somewhere,” a middle‑school health instructor said, warning of misinformation from internet sources.
Parents and community leaders pressed for clearer two‑way communications about safety protocols and for stronger inclusion in budget and enrollment decisions. Claudia Olivia, representing the Safe Schools Coalition, said parents report they were not told about newcomer options during enrollment and that some students were suddenly unenrolled from a newcomer center, which she called “not transparency.”
Board members acknowledged the public comments and reminded attendees that staff will follow up when appropriate. The superintendent and central staff later discussed implementation details for curriculum and student safety during their workshop presentations.