Parents and PTA ask West Orange board to adopt NEA 'safe zone' model policy; board refers it to counsel

Parents, PTA leaders and classroom teachers urged the West Orange Board of Education on Feb. 24 to adopt a model "safe zone" resolution developed by the National Education Association to protect immigrant and other vulnerable students and to give staff clear procedures when law enforcement seeks access to students.

"Passage of such a resolution can do just that," said Eric Camons, co‑chair of the Hazel PTA advocacy committee, describing a policy his group sent the district that, according to presenters, would commit the district to confirming that "every student regardless of immigration status, gender identity, race, religion or background feels welcome, supported and safe." He asked the board to consider the NEA model as a formal district resolution.

Multiple speakers backed the request. Josh Goldar, a Roosevelt Middle School teacher who also serves as president of the West Orange Education Association, described a classroom moment when a student asked, "Am I going to get deported?" and said that adopting a formal policy would help reassure families. Hazel PTA president K (spelled in materials as KIRO) and other parents described local efforts to assemble immigration resource materials and "red wallet" cards and asked for district-level action.

Board President Rock and Superintendent Mr. Moore acknowledged receipt of the model policy and said the administration has already shared the document with the board's attorney and the policy committee for review. "We will review these policies and see if there's anything in our existing policies that need to be updated," President Rock said, adding that "West Orange is and always has been a safe place for all of our students." He also cited existing student‑privacy protections that limit disclosure of student information.

Mr. Moore earlier summarized key procedural protections and said the district does not collect students' immigration status information: "We do not collect any kind of student information about students' immigration status so we could not disclose that even if we were subpoenaed for that," he said, noting FERPA limits on sharing student records and the district's process for evaluating official requests.

The board did not vote on the resolution during the meeting. Instead, members said the model policy and proposed language will be examined by legal counsel and the policy committee before any future board action. The district also encouraged ongoing dialogue with parent advocates and PTA volunteers who offered to help implement outreach and resources.

The board's next public meeting is scheduled for March 17, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. at West Orange High School, where further policy discussion could appear on a future agenda.