Several Clark County school boards are discussing and clarifying their districts’ policies on immigration as the federal government steps up enforcement. A Jan. 21 directive from the Department of Homeland Security opened the door for its immigration officers to detain people in previously protected places, including schools. County school districts reacted by sending letters to families assuring them of their policies to protect students. The Vancouver, Evergreen and Ridgefield school boards discussed policies at their Tuesday meetings. “There’s been a lot of uncertainty around changes at the federal level and policy and executive orders and trying to make sense of those, especially sometimes when they run in conflict with our state laws,” Vancouver Superintendent Jeff Snell said. “We’ve done our best to try to share what we know and how we’re trying to support students and families and making sure people feel safe and want to come to our schools.” After Vancouver Public Schools’ new proposed Immigrant and Refugee Students, Families, and Staff policy was read for the first time, board members voted unanimously to move it on to a second reading.

The policy expands on Vancouver’s current practices regarding access to students and student information at schools but with more depth and detail. Fort Vancouver High School English teacher Bethany Rivard told the board “clear guidance needs to be communicated around what happens if staff breaches protocol in regards to student information.” She asked how staff will know who would be dealing with law enforcement, not only at school during the day, but also at bus stops, school-sanctioned functions and extracurricular activities. “As a parent and educator, I know that we all agree that student safety is paramount,” Rivard said. “And I’m here to just suggest that the clearest of expectations will help make some students, staff and families feel more safe expecting what will happen.”

Evergreen’s school board members on Tuesday considered a resolution affirming the rights of undocumented students, along with protocols for responding to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but agreed to vote on it during a future meeting, spokesman Craig Birnbach said in an email. “Several students voiced to the board that they would like to have a chance to give input on the resolution before it is finalized, and the board is going to honor that request,” Birnbach said. The resolution would affirm “the provision of safe, welcoming and inclusive schools for all students without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, income level, disability, national origin or immigration/citizenship status.” Ridgefield’s school board on Tuesday unanimously adopted a new policy regarding interviews and interrogations of students on school premises.

“This policy is not one that we have had in place before in Ridgefield School District, but it outlines the relationship that we have with other agencies,” Superintendent Jenny Rodriquez said. “It states that we value those relationships but also that we’re seeking as an educational entity to minimize the interruption of our instructional program.” The policy states that any interviews or interrogations by any agency should be conducted at the agency or a student’s home, and only on school premises in certain circumstances, including when investigations are school-initiated, or looking into child abuse or criminal allegations. “In contrast to the limited circumstances noted above, the work of immigration agents does not overlap with the work or duties of the district,” the policy states. “This is because the district’s obligation to educate the children residing within its borders is not diminished by the children or parents’ immigration status.”