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The DeSoto Independent School District School Board of Trustees passed a resolution to designate all district schools as welcoming and protective to the fullest extent of the law given recent executive orders related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protections (CBP) activities.
The DeSoto Independent School District issued a statement regarding its awareness of the announcement of potential executive orders and changes to federal policy regarding the places where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials may carry out activities.
The statement read, “We recognize that these changes could impact our school community, as well as other districts nationwide.(....) Rest assured that DeSoto ISD will continue to provide a caring and supportive learning environment for all students and staff. We are committed to maintaining the safety, wellbeing and success of every member of our school community. The district will support campuses, counselors and Student Support staff to provide resources for families impacted by this development.”
Alongside the district’s established protocols for these activities, the District offered the following in the approved resolution:
ESOLUTION NO. 0225-002
DESOTO ISD RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT DESIGNATING ALL DESOTO ISD SCHOOLS AS WELCOMING AND PROTECTIVE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees embraces the diversity of our students and families and the rich language and cultural assets they bring to our District and strongly supports and encourages the participation of all parents and families in our schools; and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees is committed to following the law and providing a high quality education to all students regardless of their immigration status; and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District is committed to providing a learning environment that facilitates the physical safety and emotional well-being of all students; and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District has adopted policies that prohibit discrimination, including harassment, against any student on any basis protected by law that creates an intimidating, threatening, hostile, or offensive educational environment (FFH (LOCAL)); and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District recognizes that a safe and civil environment is needed for students to learn and attain high academic standards and to promote healthy human relationships (FFI (LOCAL)); and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District is committed to preparing all students for success; and
WHEREAS, there have been increasing instances of DeSoto Independent School District students expressing anxiety and fear of them or their family members being deported; and
WHEREAS, under federal and state law, the DeSoto Independent School District has no authority or role in determining the immigration status of any of its students or families, or enforcing federal immigration laws; and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District believes that it is in the best interest of its students to take action to assure all students and their families that disruptions to the learning environment shall not be tolerated; and
WHEREAS, in order to provide school environments that are as conducive to learning as possible every DeSoto Independent School District campus is designated as Welcoming and Protective of all students and their families to the fullest extent of the law.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DESOTO ISD THAT every DeSoto Independent School District campus is declared Welcoming and Protective of all its students and their families to the fullest extent of the law; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the DeSoto Independent School District is unequivocally committed to ensuring a school environment that is as conducive to learning as possible for all students and will facilitate each student's physical safety and emotional well-being; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, in its continued commitment to the protection of student privacy, the DeSoto Independent School District shall review its record-keeping policies and practices to ensure that no data is being collected with respect to students’ immigration status; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, should the U.S. Immigrations Enforcement Office (ICE) or other immigration law enforcement agents request any student information, the request should follow District protocol to ensure compliance with Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student constitutional privacy, standards for an appropriate warrant, and any other limitation on disclosure; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees directs the Superintendent to ensure that the District ensures that students are aware of opportunities to gain access to college, in-state tuition, financial aid, scholarships, internships, and career opportunities, regardless of their immigration status; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that nothing in this Resolution shall be construed to require an employee or agent of DeSoto Independent School District to take any action in violation of federal or sESOLUTION NO. 0225-002 DESOTO ISD RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT DESIGNATING ALL DESOTO ISD SCHOOLS AS WELCOMING AND PROTECTIVE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees embraces the diversity of our students and families and the rich language and cultural assets they bring to our District and strongly supports and encourages the participation of all parents and families in our schools; and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees is committed to following the law and providing a high quality education to all students regardless of their immigration status; and WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District is committed to providing a learning environment that facilitates the physical safety and emotional well-being of all students; and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District has adopted policies that prohibit discrimination, including harassment, against any student on any basis protected by law that creates an intimidating, threatening, hostile, or offensive educational environment (FFH (LOCAL)); and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District recognizes that a safe and civil environment is needed for students to learn and attain high academic standards and to promote healthy human relationships (FFI (LOCAL)); and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District is committed to preparing all students for success; and
WHEREAS, there have been increasing instances of DeSoto Independent School District students expressing anxiety and fear of them or their family members being deported; and
WHEREAS, under federal and state law, the DeSoto Independent School District has no authority or role in determining the immigration status of any of its students or families, or enforcing federal immigration laws; and
WHEREAS, the DeSoto Independent School District believes that it is in the best interest of its students to take action to assure all students and their families that disruptions to the learning environment shall not be tolerated; and
WHEREAS, in order to provide school environments that are as conducive to learning as possible every DeSoto Independent School District campus is designated as Welcoming and Protective of all students and their families to the fullest extent of the law.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE DESOTO ISD THAT every DeSoto Independent School District campus is declared Welcoming and Protective of all its students and their families to the fullest extent of the law; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the DeSoto Independent School District is unequivocally committed to ensuring a school environment that is as conducive to learning as possible for all students and will facilitate each student's physical safety and emotional well-being; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, in its continued commitment to the protection of student privacy, the DeSoto Independent School District shall review its record-keeping policies and practices to ensure that no data is being collected with respect to students’ immigration status; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, should the U.S. Immigrations Enforcement Office (ICE) or other immigration law enforcement agents request any student information, the request should follow District protocol to ensure compliance with Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student constitutional privacy, standards for an appropriate warrant, and any other limitation on disclosure; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees directs the Superintendent to ensure that the District ensures that students are aware of opportunities to gain access to college, in-state tuition, financial aid, scholarships, internships, and career opportunities, regardless of their immigration status; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that nothing in this Resolution shall be construed to require an employee or agent of DeSoto Independent School District to take any action in violation of federal or state law.
PASSED and APPROVED this 24th day of February 2025 by the Board of Trustees, DeSoto Independent School District, DeSoto, Texas.
DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT state law. PASSED and APPROVED this 24th day of February 2025 by the Board of Trustees, DeSoto Independent School District, DeSoto, Texas. DESOTO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
For more information about DeSoto ISD and its initiatives, visit www.DeSotoISD.org.