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Residents and students urge Dysart board to oppose nearby ICE facility, call for safety measures and personnel change
Summary
Public commenters—residents, an indigenous community member and students—asked the Dysart Unified District board to publicly denounce a proposed ICE facility near schools, adopt protocols to protect students from immigration‑enforcement actions, and remove the district safety coordinator, alleging a conflict of interest. The board took no immediate action during the public comment period.
Several community members and students used the May 11 public comment period to press the Dysart Unified District governing board to take a public stance against a proposed ICE facility they say is near district schools and to adopt concrete safety measures.
Marissa Galen, who identified herself as a family member of a current Dysart student, described conversations with families affected by ICE detainments and asked the district to provide protections similar to those Phoenix Union School District has adopted, including declaring schools safe zones, keeping student records private, hosting 'know your rights' workshops, providing alternative virtual instruction for high‑risk students and updating emergency response plans on the district website. "I ask that you uphold the safety of all students and faculty by amending emergency response drills to include specific action towards ICE presence near campus," she said.
Dr. Sofia Marjanovic, who identified herself as indigenous and a member of Sioux tribes, urged the board to denounce a proposed ICE facility that she said is visible from Dysart High School and is "less than a half of a mile from the proposed ICE facility." Dr. Marjanovic also said—as a claim—that "prisons are not supposed to be within 100 feet from schools according to Arizona state law," and asked what plans the district has to protect students and families from checkpoints, impersonators or violent enforcement actions.
Community member Jason Chavez alleged a conflict of interest involving the district safety coordinator, identified in public remarks as Kevin Sarter, who Chavez said also serves as mayor of Surprise; Chavez called for the coordinator’s removal and for staff trainings to prepare faculty for encounters with enforcement officers. "He should be removed," Chavez said of the safety coordinator.
Student leader Callie Overs said she had emailed the board requesting a public statement and the removal of the safety coordinator, noted the district had only held one lockdown drill at Dysart High School this year and asked the board to remind students of their rights and how the district will uphold them.
Board response and outcome: board members listened and thanked speakers; no board motion, formal condemnation or personnel action was taken during the meeting. Several commenters asked the board to consider agenda items or follow‑up studies; requests for future agenda items included an information item on crime statistics and additional safety reporting.
