With President-elect Donald Trump set to be inaugurated next month as the nation’s 45th president, the Chula Vista Elementary School District’s board of trustees unanimously agreed last week to adopt a resolution declaring all schools in the district a safe zone and resource center for students and families.
“This is directly related to all of [Trump’s] campaign rhetoric and promises,” said board member Eduardo Reyes.
Reyes referred to the president-elect’s promises to deport undocumented people, end the Deferred Action for Childhood arrival and the full vetting of Muslims.
“Our concern is to make sure every single student feels safe, and secured, included, embraced and respected,” he said.
Seventy percent of students in the district are Hispanic or of Latino decent and more than 51 percent of students qualify for free and reduced price lunch. Fifty-One different home languages are spoken in CVESD schools, including Spanish, Tagalog, Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
As part of a safe zone the district vows to protect the data and identities of any student, family member, or school employee who may be adversely affected by any future policies or executive action that results in the collection of any personally identifiable information to the fullest extent provided by the law.
“We will always comply with the law, however, we will strive to ensure that our students and families are protected,” he said.
