Lancaster School District

 

WHEREAS, the Lancaster School District is committed to teach, support, and care for all students, which includes, but is not limited to, students of every ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, and language, and to provide inclusive schools that foster a sense of belonging and affirms diverse backgrounds; 

 

WHEREAS, it is the right of every child, regardless of immigration status, to access a free public K-12 education and that no student shall be denied equal rights and opportunities nor be subjected to unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying in the district's programs and activities on the basis of immigration status (Education Code 200, 220, 234.1); 

 

WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court held in Plyler v. Doe (1982) that no public school district has a basis to deny children access to education based on their immigration status, citing the harm it would inflict on the child and society itself, and the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment; 

 

WHEREAS, the District believes that immigration enforcement activities in or near schools disrupt the learning environment, depress student attendance and family engagement, and undermine the trust and safety necessary for students to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally; and 

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees is committed to the success of all students and believes that every school site should be a safe and welcoming place for all students and their families irrespective of their citizenship or immigration status. 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board declares the District to be a Safe Haven for its students, meaning that the District is a place for students, families, and staff to learn, to thrive and to seek assistance, information, and support related to any immigration law enforcement that interferes with student learning experience; 

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the U.S. Immigrations Enforcement Office (ICE), state or local law enforcement agencies acting on behalf of ICE, or agents or officers for any federal, state, or local agency attempting to enforce federal immigration laws, are to follow District Board Policy and Regulation 5145.13, attached to and incorporated in this Resolution, to ensure the District meets its duty to provide all students, regardless of immigration status, access to a free public Preschool-8 education; 

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, it continues to be the policy of the District to prohibit disruptions to the educational setting; given the likelihood of substantial disruption posed by the presence of ICE or state or local law enforcement agencies acting for ICE, any request by ICE to visit a school site or request any student information should be presented to the Superintendent's Office for review; this review should be made expeditiously, but before any immigration law enforcement agent or officer appears at a school site or before any production of information is made; 

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the District shall provide training for staff and administrators on the rights of immigrant students and families, as well as on best practices for maintaining safe and inclusive learning environments 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board reaffirms Lancaster School District's unequivocal commitment to ensuring a safe and secure educational environment for all students, serving as a safe haven school district for students and families impacted by immigration enforcement or discrimination, to the fullest extent provided by the law. 

 

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Trustees of the Lancaster School District, this 18th day of February, 2025, by the following vote:

 

AYES: 4 NOES: 0 ABSENT: 1 ABSTAIN: 0 RECUSE: 0

 

Giles, Starlson 

Eutsler, Tepe 

 

Keith Giles