SAN DIEGO — San Diego Unified is taking action to make sure students of all backgrounds feel safe at school. Tuesday night the school board voted unanimously to strengthen its promise to be a "welcoming district" and not allow ICE officers on school property.
The district says it's committed to be a welcoming place for all students and staff. This comes as President-elect Donald Trump has pushed for mass deportations once he takes office in January.
"Politics will be politics outside of the classroom, but inside of the classroom, our children should be safe," said Dr. Fabiola Bagula, the district's interim superintendent.
She says helping students feel safe is a top priority. According to district data, nearly 6,000 migrant students, who arrived in the U.S. in the last three years, attend a San Diego Unified school. The district reaffirmed its policies to not assist ICE in enforcing federal immigration laws and not allow access to district facilities without a warrant.
"I just wanted to cheer them on, applaud them," said Linda Kay Williams, a retired teacher.
She taught in the district for more than 30 years and wants San Diego Unified to do all it can to support families.
"Our DACA students, our Muslim, Arab, Palestinian students, LGBTQIA, there are a number of campaign promises that could and would negatively impact their lives," she said.
The district also launched a new website for families to access resources and report harassment or discrimination. District staff will be trained on how to create a welcoming educational environment.
"How can we the district best support you. that can make a world of difference knowing they can trust and talk to the people at their school sites," Williams said.