Mercer Island board moves to create permanent Safe School Environments position and attach district to letter on immigration enforcement protections

The Mercer Island School District board discussed and moved forward on two policy items during a regular meeting: creating a permanent Safe School Environments staff position and adding the district's name to a letter urging legislative protections that limit immigration enforcement at schools.

Board members introduced edits to board policy language and described the new position as a permanent role to coordinate proactive supports addressing sexual harassment and other safety concerns in schools. The change was presented as modular language intended to work alongside future resolutions while allowing each school more independence in how it implements supports. Chair called for a motion on the permanent Safe School Environments position; Director Tucker moved the motion as recorded in the meeting, though the transcript does not include a recorded second or the final vote tally.

A separate discussion covered a draft of Board Policy 4300, based on language circulated by Bellevue's board, intended to limit immigration enforcement action at school sites. One board member cited recent research on how immigration-enforcement activity can raise stress among students; Dr. Bradley clarified district protocols, saying that if law enforcement arrives with a valid warrant — whether immigration-related or not — administrators follow verification steps and district leadership (assistant superintendent or Dr. Bradley) would review credentials before staff intervene. "If immigration enforcement showed up with a warrant to collect someone ... it's still a valid warrant," Dr. Bradley said, adding that the district has procedures and training to avoid unnecessary disruption.

Following the discussion, the board agreed to attach the district's name to a letter to legislators advocating protections for sensitive locations, and a board representative said they would submit that signature and notify partners the same day. The transcript records the motion to attach the district's name and the statement that staff would follow up; no formal roll-call vote is included in the record.

The meeting also included operational announcements: a scheduled Crest program tour for concerned current and former families, an update that the district had not been contacted by police regarding a soccer coach matter and therefore currently considered it closed from the district's perspective, and an explanation of the district's Raptor emergency alert override used during a recent drill and for reunification procedures.

The board indicated it will continue work on policy wording to ensure clarity and to avoid unintended consequences; the meeting record shows motions and direction but does not include full vote tallies for the discussed items.