Cloverdale Unified board adopts amended 'safe haven' language after hours of public comment

The Cloverdale Unified School District Board of Trustees voted to adopt an amended "safe haven" resolution after more than an hour of public comment and trustee discussion.

Trustee Lopez White moved to approve the revised resolution, which adds that "the Cloverdale Unified School District Board shall not allow ICE agents or immigration law enforcement on school sites, facilities, or material property without receiving prior approval from the superintendent unless the agent possesses a warrant or court order," and requires that "the district shall contact the student's parents or guardians when handing over or providing information to an agent has taken place." The motion was seconded and carried with one recorded Nay.

The vote followed sustained testimony from parents, organizers and retired educators who said current district language did not go far enough to protect immigrant families and multilingual households. "We are the majority who are impacted by your decisions," Susana Oseguera, a parent and organizer, told trustees, warning that uncertainty about enforcement leads families to keep children home and harms students' learning and mental health.

Laura Ekwitz, a retired teacher, said the fear in the community was "so thick" and urged the board to act to reassure families that schools are safe. Jade Weymouth, a parent and community member, urged the district to commit to consistent professional interpretation and translation services so parents can understand policy and be included in decision‑making.

Trustees split over whether to expand the resolution to explicitly include "families and community" alongside students. Some trustees said the district already has a broadly worded safe‑haven policy and worried that adding families and community could create legal or operational ambiguities. One trustee said the only substantive addition they supported was a requirement to contact parents or guardians prior to sharing student information with agents, subject to legal obligations such as warrants or court orders.

Board discussion repeatedly noted legal constraints. "We can notify the parent or guardian, but there may be legal time limits that prevent us from delaying if a warrant or court order is presented," one trustee said, emphasizing that staff must follow judicial processes when required.

Speakers from Migrant Justice in Action and the North Bay Rapid Response Network urged trustees to adopt the stronger language immediately and requested ongoing training for staff. Gina Garrido, an organizer with Migrant Justice in Action Initiative, described examples from other districts where staff called families and discovered purported "wellness checks" were not authorized by a court.

After the motion passed, trustees directed staff to draft the final resolution text reflecting the approved additions and to distribute the language to the community.

The board meeting record shows the motion carried; one trustee recorded a Nay. The board said it would communicate the existing policy and the approved changes publicly to reduce community concern and clarify protocols.