Santa Maria’s ‘safe-haven’ school district provides relief to immigrant families

Santa Maria Joint Union High School District trustees voted 4-0 in January to approve a resolution declaring their campuses “safe havens” for students, regardless of their immigration status. Dr. Carol Karamitsos, board president, called the move “super important for our students, our families and our community as a whole.” Janene Scully Noozhawk

It is encouraging to learn of Santa Maria schools’ decision to protect its students (“Santa Maria school district adopts ‘safe haven’ for undocumented immigrants,” Jan. 11). It’s clear that Santa Maria schools want to see students prosper, no matter who they are, by denying access to personal information of students to immigration officers.

While it is true that undocumented workers aren’t legal in the U.S., that doesn’t mean that they can’t live in peace and have children who can go to school safely. This policy not only protects the undocumented students, but also brings some relief to parents worried about their children’s safety.

I understand that some don’t feel comfortable with undocumented students in their schools. As a public school student myself, I’ve seen discrimination against immigrants by their communities. Thanks to Santa Maria schools for allowing all students to go to school in peace and not have to worry about their problems, at least while they’re learning.

Jose Razo, Paso Robles High School

This story was originally published March 19, 2017 at 7:29 PM with the headline "Santa Maria’s ‘safe-haven’ school district provides relief to immigrant families."

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