Parents and community volunteers urge D300 to boost outreach after nearby immigration enforcement reports

Two speakers during public participation told the board they are worried about immigration enforcement activity near District 300 schools and asked the district to take steps to support immigrant families.

Amarani Jarvis, who identified herself as a District 300 parent, said many families in the Latino immigrant community are anxious about enforcement in surrounding areas and that fear affects students’ ability to learn. “I am asking that we continue to build on a strong foundation already in place by expanding communication, trust, and visible support especially at a high school level,” Jarvis said, adding that elementary families generally reported feeling safer while some high school families reported less comfort communicating with administration.

James Gould, a D300 taxpayer and volunteer with the Elgin Area Immigrant Alliance, urged the board to direct safety staff to engage with the alliance and to allow volunteer 'school observer' teams to operate adjacent to schools to monitor for enforcement activity and inform principals. He said neighboring districts use volunteer observer teams to document enforcement actions and communicate with school officials and argued the teams cost the district nothing while adding protections for students.

Both commenters said surveys and community reports informed their requests; they asked for a specific district commitment to partner with community observers and to let school personnel share information with families about their rights when interacting with immigration agents.

The board did not engage in a back-and-forth during the public forum; the superintendent’s report and later agenda items moved forward after the two comments. There was no board vote or formal action on the requests recorded at this meeting.