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Parents ask SVUSD for clear safety protocols after ICE activity near Gates Elementary
Summary
Parents at a Saddleback Valley Unified School District meeting described recent ICE activity near a dual‑immersion site and requested concrete safety plans, multilingual communications and alternative pick‑up options; the superintendent said principals are trained and a letter will go to families next week.
Parents representing Gates Elementary and other families urged the Saddleback Valley Unified School District to provide concrete safety protocols and communications after a recent ICE arrest near a school.
Aline Stickler told the board that ICE arrested a parent during school drop‑off two blocks from Gates Elementary and said families need specific outreach and operational plans, not general reassurances. She asked whether teachers would stay late until a safe family member arrived, whether the district would provide transportation alternatives and how the district would notify school communities when enforcement is reported nearby.
Amber Font, also representing Gates families, repeated those requests and offered practical suggestions: alternative pickup/drop‑off locations, partnerships with trusted community organizations for emergency pickup sites, multilingual text and robocall messages, and staff training so students are never released to unauthorized individuals.
The superintendent and trustees responded that protocols exist, principals are trained in the procedures and a letter will be sent to families — including Gates — early next week to outline how schools will handle enforcement events and to provide contact and safety information.
Trustees said they will follow up to ensure communication reaches families before the first day of school.
