All San Bernardino City Unified Schools Declared Safe Zones For Students And Families

SAN BERNARDINO>> On Tuesday, Jan. 10, the governing board of the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) unanimously approved a resolution during a board meeting declaring schools to be safe zones for all students and families. The resolution reaffirms the Board of Education’s commitment to providing the best education in the safest learning environment to all SBCUSD students, regardless of immigration status, ethnicity, race, religion or sexual orientation, among other categories. The resolution reassures the diverse students and families SBCUSD serves, including immigrant families, that San Bernardino City Unified is committed to furthering its mission to provide the best education to every student who walks into the schools, regardless of immigration status. The district’s mission is to see children graduate and be prepared to succeed in college and their careers. "The resolution, the first of its kind to be passed by an Inland Empire school board, is essential because families entrust us with the education of their children, and they must be reassured that we are here to provide safe schools for all students," said Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden. In addition, California’s top education official, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson urged school districts across California to maintain a welcoming environment for all students and parents that are free of bullying, harassment and intimidation. “We hope our community hears our message loud and clear so they can rest assured knowing that we are working hard to provide a safe learning environment where all students can thrive,” Marsden said. “We know that when children don’t feel safe, they can’t learn. That’s why having safe schools is important to our Board of Education, as it is to our administrators, teachers and staff, who are doing their best to prepare all our students for a bright future.” There has been some confusion due to some statewide news about the attempted “Sanctuary Districts.” Sanctuary Districts became popularized by some universities and colleges such as Harvard and New York University. Sanctuary Districts are school districts that have adopted a policy of protecting undocumented immigrants by not prosecuting them solely for violating immigration laws. San Francisco and Los Angeles School Districts have adopted this policy, but San Bernardino School District has not. “A resolution is like a philosophical ideal discussion,” said Danny Tillman, board member. “Sanctuary districts were never mentioned in this meeting.” Providing safe schools is already an important part of the district’s mission and the Community Engagement Plan. The Board of Education's objective is to make families in the San Bernardino Unified School district feel safe while getting their children an education. The Board of Education has not used the term sanctuary district in its discussions about creating safe schools for students. For the full text of the resolution, visit http://www.sbcusd.com/DocumentCenter/View/130954.