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Parents and advocates press Cloverdale Unified for stronger 'safe‑haven' protections; trustees weigh legal limits and training
Summary
Parents, translators and immigrant‑rights groups urged the board to adopt language modeled on Santa Rosa’s safe‑haven resolution and to mandate training and implementation; trustees said the district already has a resolution but agreed clearer protocols and staff training are needed; no new resolution vote was taken.
Dozens of community members and immigrant‑rights organizers urged Cloverdale Unified trustees on Tuesday to strengthen and implement the district’s safe‑haven policy, pressing for language modeled on Santa Rosa’s resolution plus concrete training and signage.
"We are really urging you to adopt the safe‑haven resolution as it is worded for the Santa Rosa City Schools," said Linda Evans of Migrant Justice in Action. She recommended prohibiting ICE from school sites without a judicial warrant, mandating staff training and establishing designated safe areas in each school. (Speaker: Linda Evans)
Public commenters, many speaking in Spanish with translation, said anxiety about immigration enforcement is affecting students’ mental health and parents’ willingness to send children to school. Speakers asked for clear implementation steps, community input, Spanish translations and evidence that a resolution will be carried out — not merely adopted on paper.
Board members discussed implementation, staff safety and legal limits. One trustee said she did not want to put staff in a position where they would confront law‑enforcement agencies and preferred keeping the district’s existing resolution, which the board previously adopted, rather than the Santa Rosa language that she said would require refusing cooperation with law enforcement. Another trustee said her concern is a child being taken without due process and emphasized the need for protocols that ensure staff know what to do when law enforcement arrives.
Staff noted the district previously adopted a safe‑haven resolution (about seven years ago) and said the California Department of Justice had provided protocol guidance; the superintendent and staff said materials had been circulated and translated in Spanish. Trustees said they wanted clearer, documented procedures and training rather than only a worksheet or informal guidance.
No board vote was taken to replace or amend the district’s current resolution. Trustees recommended further discussion, suggested returning the item to a future agenda for fuller board consideration, and encouraged residents to meet with staff and email trustees with specific suggestions.
What happened procedurally
Public comment was extensive; trustees expressed differing views about adopting Santa Rosa‑style language. Board members emphasized the need for an implementation plan and training if new language were adopted and deferred any formal vote pending further review and fuller board participation (a trustee was absent).
