Students demand action from new Salem-Keizer board members: How will you protect us?

A group of students and graduates want the Salem-Keizer School Board to do more to protect and help immigrant students in Salem-Keizer Public Schools. 

More than a dozen students and supporters attended Tuesday night's meeting with signs that read: "Today's Lesson Plan: Human Rights. Classrooms Not Cages." 

Ten testified, arguing the board and district are not doing enough to represent and assist students of color and LGBTQ youth. More so, they argued officials aren't doing enough to protect immigrant children and their families, who they said are suffering from toxic stress in the current political climate.

"Oregon is a sanctuary state and I should feel safe, but I don't," said Daniel. For the teens' safety, the Statesman Journal is only using their first names.

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"With I.C.E. being in my area, I live with the fear that I might come home one day, and my family won't be there and my friends are gone," he said. "I shouldn't have to live with that fear."

This was not the first time Salem-Keizer students have spoken up, nor was it the first time the school board has been asked to take a stand. 

Students have testified at board meetings multiple times in the last few years, commenting on racism and bullying, boundary changes, a lack of Gay Straight Alliances, the dress code and more. 

Hundreds have also participated in statewide and national movements, including marches and walkouts for education funding, March for Our Lives and DACA. 

In that same time, the school board has adopted numerous proclamations on these issues, including the Safe and Welcoming Schools and LGBTQ Pride Month resolutions.

But when it comes to the board and district tangibly working to protect immigrant families, and students of color more generally, the students aren't convinced enough has been done.

The largest example given was the district's refusal last year to take a public stance on Measure 105, which would have repealed Oregon's decades-old sanctuary law that stops local and state authorities from enforcing federal immigration laws.

"You guys want to uphold your image, rather than help the students that are enduring fear and pain," said graduate Fabi in her testimony.

"You guys get mad when we decide to march, to sit-in, to speak up for ourselves and others, but when we die, you guys become silent," she said. "And when approached about the topic, all you seem to say is 'that's sad' and 'I'm sorry,' as if your 'sorry' really does or means something."

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Speaking directly to new members 

Tuesday was the first meeting with the board's new members — Satya Chandragiri, Danielle Bethell and re-elected member Marty Heyen. 

Heyen was unanimously elected board chairwoman in the meeting, following Kathy Goss' tenure in the position; member Jesse Lippold was unanimously elected vice chairman.

The students want the new members to show what they will do to ensure these students and families feel safe, especially in school. 

Of Salem-Keizer's nearly 42,000 students, about 40% were identified as Hispanic/Latino in 2017-18. However, it's important to note not all Hispanic/Latino students are immigrants, nor are all immigrants Hispanic/Latino.

Graduate Luis asked what role each member will play in representing and helping students of color, including those who are low-income, accessing reproductive rights in their schools, scared of I.C.E. agents "roaming their city and state," or combating toxic stress in their everyday lives. 

"These questions … really affect students who are in this very same school district," he said. "So I want to ask again: How are you going to make them comfortable throughout their time in their public school?"

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Actions speak louder than words

The students weren't asking the board members for any one solution. And in these meetings, it's rare the members respond directly to the concerns brought up in testimony. 

That said, the students made it clear they will no longer accept silence.

"A few months ago, the school board decided not to endorse voting 'no' on Measure 105, putting the students and their families at risk," said Alex, a soon-to-be high school student. "That was a slap to the face to me and my community.

"I was disappointed in the school board because kids deserve to feel secure in and out of schools."

Alex said the school board mentioned "not getting into politics" as the reason they didn't take a stance on the measure, "as if students aren't affected by toxic immigrant policies in and out of their homes."

"I'm here to remind you how harmful being silent toward injustice is," he said. 

Former chairwoman Goss sympathized with the students, saying the board members "aren't hard and solid" and are "so sorry (they're) going through that." 

Superintendent Christy Perry said, because of recent national news around immigration and conditions in camps along the southern U.S. border, the district has sent information to all summer school programs regarding their position on working with I.C.E., saying, "We don't cooperate with non-local law enforcement." 

Later in the meeting, new member Chandragiri formally requested the board hold a work session dedicated to discussing the issues brought up by the students. Nothing was scheduled as of Wednesday. 

For more information, go to https://salkeiz.k12.or.us/schoolboard/ or call 503-399-3001. 

Contact reporter Natalie Pate at npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6745 or follow Natalie on Twitter @Nataliempate or Facebook at www.Facebook.com/nataliepatejournalist.