In Woodburn, where Latinos make up the majority of the population, the school board rejected a resolution endorsing immigrant kids.
According to Oregon Public Broadcasting, three of the board’s five members expressed concern that a public declaration on the rights and safeguards of immigrant kids may jeopardize the district’s federal funding.
According to the draft resolution, students should enjoy free public education regardless of their immigration status, and Woodburn schools should be welcoming places. Similar public declarations have previously been made by Superintendent Juan Larios.
He stated, “We do have procedures in place in our buildings to protect students.”
However, he referred to the board proclamation—which most community members anticipated passing—as a chance for us to collectively support a common cause.
Additionally, the proposed resolution stated that the board was dedicated to removing obstacles that could prevent students from attending classes, such as anxiety and dread surrounding immigration-related subjects and federal immigration laws.
Union leaders and members of the community were taken aback when the board rejected the resolution.
According to state data, 42% of teachers and 87% of Woodburn students identified as Hispanic or Latino during the previous academic year. Some houses are mixed-citizenship, and roughly two-thirds of the city’s population identifies as Latino or Hispanic.
The Associated Press
