Union raises ICE enforcement concerns for families and documents repeated HVAC failures in Innovation Building

Claudia Bautista, president of the Santa Monica–Malibu Classroom Teachers Association (SMMCTA), addressed the board to describe two distinct but related concerns: anxiety among immigrant families because of escalated ICE enforcement actions nationwide and unresolved, chronic HVAC failures at the district’s Innovation Building.

Bautista said teachers and advisers report widespread fear in Latinx communities about possible detentions and family separations, and she urged the district to partner with parents and community allies to develop dismissal plans, outreach and preparedness resources in the event enforcement appears near schools. "These fears are not abstract," Bautista said, referencing recent national incidents raised by teachers during school meetings.

Separately, she read a letter from Innovation Building staff documenting persistent heating and cooling failures: classrooms have reached "88 to 90 degrees" on some days and dropped below 60 on others; staff have submitted more than "a 150 requests over the years" without lasting resolution. Teachers reported that classes have been forced outside due to unsafe heat conditions. The union requested immediate, timely action from the board to ensure safe and functional learning and working conditions in the Innovation Building.

Board members acknowledged the reports and thanked Bautista for raising both the safety and facility concerns; no formal remedial action or timeline was adopted during this meeting.