Minutes after the Los Angeles City Council Tuesday passed an ordinance to make LA a sanctuary city, the Los Angeles Unified School Board of Education followed suit, adopting a resolution to declare itself a sanctuary district.
With the resolution, the board restates a sanctuary policy for students and families within the school district while calling for training of teachers and staff about how they should respond if approached by federal immigration authorities.
The resolution also prohibits district employees from voluntarily complying with immigration authorities, including sharing information about students' immigration status.
With the resolution, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is expected to develop a plan within 60 days outlining the district's support for immigrant students and staff.
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The plan will “include training for all teachers, administrators, and other staff on how to respond to federal agencies and any immigration personnel who request information about students, families, and staff, and/or are attempting to enter school property, as well as a thorough effort to communicate the district's sanctuary policy and plan to all district families in the language that they speak.”
Carvalho said the district will use all of the legal tools available to protect immigrants regardless of their status.
"We are a protective system that serves an immigrant community," he said. "We have both a professional and a moral duty and responsibility to protect not only our students, but our workforce as well as their families."
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District officials also warned there will be pushback from the Trump administration.
"Get ready to deal with misinformation. Get ready to deal with any action from Washington, and be prepared," Board Member Monica Garcia said.
City News Service contributed to this report.
