Schools in west Fresno are taking another step to ensure the safety of their students amid increased speculation of immigration enforcement activity in the Central Valley.

By Esther Quintanilla

Central Valley Journalism Collaborative

The Central Unified Board of Trustees updated its Safe Learning For All policy during an early March meeting. The language of the policy now has emergency notifications and protocols set for law enforcement or federal immigration officer sightings on district property, school campuses and bus stops.

Parents will be sent notifications of immigration officer sightings through the ParentSquare app “almost immediately” – similar to how the school district distributes information on school lockdowns, according to the board.

The notification will include the location and time of where immigration enforcement is occurring. It will also state whether the enforcement action is happening on district property, plus the district’s point of contact for additional questions and resources.

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The updated measure was brought to the board on March 11 by Trustee Nabil Kherfan and co-sponsored by Board President Naindeep Singh and Trustee Yesenia Carrillo. The item was passed unanimously by the seven member board.

“This policy is potentially the first of its kind,” Kherfan told the board. “It codifies that in the event of immigration agents attempting to enter a school, the district will send out a rapid response notification to families. This will ensure that all families in Central Unified, regardless of immigration or citizenship status, know that the safest place for their children is in the classroom.”

The Central Unified School District is one of the fastest-growing districts in the region. With nearly 16,000 students, the district opened a new high school in northwest Fresno in 2021 and plans to open a new elementary school next fall. It serves a wide community in west Fresno, many coming from diverse ethnic backgrounds – including Latino, Punjabi, Hmong and Arabic students. Nearly a fifth of the student body speak English as a second language.

In January, the district reaffirmed its commitment to maintain schools as safe places for undocumented students and families, which included offering “Know Your Rights” immigration workshops.

Taking On Misinformation, Rumors

The purpose of the updated policy is to provide rapid, accurate and verified information to families, Kherfan said.

Although district administrators did not experience a dip in attendance across all campuses, Kherfan said he had spoken with parents who chose to keep their kids home in the days following the U.S. Border Patrol raids in Kern County.

Online speculation and rumored sightings of immigration agents in the Fresno area caused “fear and concern” for immigrant parents, Kherfan said.

“Misinformation spread like a wildfire through social media,” Kherfan said. “I wanted to make sure we got out the right information as quickly as possible.”

The updated resolution also added guidelines for how school administrators are to handle immigration agents seeking parent and student information.

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Under the new language, district staff cannot provide assistance with immigration enforcement agents at any district schools. The only exceptions include cases where providing assistance may be required by state or federal law, and only after consulting with the district superintendent.

Agents making inquiries to the district must have a search warrant signed by a judge, the resolution says.

Teachers and other school employees will also receive annual training on immigration issues, including information on how to respond to requests from immigration officers. The district also has resources and workshops available for immigrant and undocumented families.

Central Unified has not reported any recent sightings of immigration officers, but Kherfan said the policy is there to get ahead of any issues that may occur.

“With this policy in place, families and students are going to be safe in the knowledge that if an incident were to occur, they would be informed quickly and can plan accordingly. It’s all about making sure that students are safe, and we’re focusing on improving education outcomes for everyone,” Kherfan said.