Mount Prospect District 57 board advances draft limiting immigration‑enforcement use of school property

The Mount Prospect School District 57 Board of Education reviewed a revised draft resolution that would bar civil immigration‑enforcement authorities from using district property as staging or processing areas and require presentation of a valid judicial warrant for access when the use is unrelated to district operations, then agreed in a straw poll to bring the draft forward for a formal vote at the March 19 meeting.

The resolution text read aloud by a board member describes three core goals: identify civil immigration enforcement operations as an object of the policy, ground the board’s authority in state law and existing district policy, and affirm the district’s commitment to students’ physical and emotional safety. The draft affirms control over district property, designates district grounds and buildings as non‑public spaces for the stated purpose, requires law‑enforcement requests to be routed through designated administrators and legal counsel, and instructs employees to report suspected use of district property for enforcement operations.

Community members and staff urged the board to adopt concrete, operational protections. Carol Marts, a Mount Prospect resident and grandparent, told the board she had reviewed the Illinois School Safety Act and urged the addition of language “prohibiting civil immigration staging on school property” and an explicit requirement that “judicial warrants are required if immigration officials request entry into or onto school property.” Robin Jennings, a Westbrook teacher and parent, urged broader protections and said the board should “take a stand” to reduce fear among students and families. Several speakers asked for visible signage, clearer instructions for staff and volunteers, and practice drills similar to other emergency preparations.

Superintendent Mary described existing staff procedures and training efforts, saying staff had been invited to office hours to walk through scenarios, that lines of authority are designed to avoid overly hierarchical decision‑making during an incident, and that the district works closely with the Mount Prospect Police Department on crisis response. “We’re continuously revising and reviewing based on changing environments,” Mary said, adding the district wants “any member of our team, no matter their position or experience level, feeling capable, equipped, and knowledgeable about how to make a decision ... to make sure kids and staff are safe.”

Board members generally expressed support for the drafted compromise. Vice President Chris Leto, Member Alan Ray, Member Eileen and others praised the draft’s grounding in board policy and state law and said it restored provisions on employee reporting that some earlier drafts omitted. A small number of members asked for limited language edits to avoid unintentionally restricting routine, lawful uses of playgrounds or other common activities; board members agreed to refine wording in advance of the formal vote and to publish the draft for community review prior to March 19.

The draft explicitly notes that existing lease agreements in effect on district property may supersede the resolution where the lease terms conflict, and states that nothing in the resolution limits execution of lawful judicial warrants, criminal law enforcement, or rights under state or federal law. The draft says it will take effect upon passage.

The board’s immediate procedural outcome was a straw poll in favor of moving Draft C forward for formal consideration at the March 19 meeting; that vote was not recorded as a final adoption. Later, the board moved to adjourn and a roll‑call vote unanimously approved adjournment.

What happens next

Board members and the superintendent said they will refine the final language (principally to clarify limitations on routine use of district spaces), attempt to publish the version the board plans to vote on before the March 19 meeting, and continue staff training and scenario planning. The superintendent said the final draft will be included in the public packet for the March 19 meeting when it is presented for a formal adopt/deny vote.