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Public commenter urges Atascadero Unified to clarify AB 49 safe-haven procedures and publish policy 51.45
Summary
A public speaker asked the district to ensure AB 49 (California Safe Haven Schools Act) requirements are met, stating a policy (51.45) and required parent notifications in English and Spanish were not readily findable on the district website; staff said they corrected the packet and website.
During oral communications the board heard from a member of the public who commended the district for recent cost-of-living raises and raised concerns about the district's handling of immigration-enforcement protections on campus under AB 49 (California Safe Haven Schools Act).
The commenter said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had appeared just off the high-school campus and asked whether staff and students know to return to campus for safety and whether the district has made required notifications to parents in English and Spanish. The speaker said the district now has "policy 51.45 section 13, response to immigration enforcement," but that they could not find the policy on the district website and asked that the policy be made prominent and that informational handouts be available.
The commenter also cited statutory guidance (as read at the meeting) that local educational agencies must restrict immigration enforcement on campuses and require a judicial warrant for access and that schools must educate families about student rights. The presenter asked whether staff had been trained with model policies and whether families had been notified.
Business services staff later acknowledged a packet/website error and said the policy had been corrected on the website and in the board packet.
The board did not take action on the comment but the exchange put the issue on record and prompted a staff correction.
Quote from the public commenter: "AB 49 California Safe Haven Schools Act mandates that local educational agencies restrict immigration enforcement on campuses requiring a judicial warrant for access."
