AISD passes "immigration resolution"

The Austin ISD Board of Trustees passed a measure during their meeting on Monday night, officially offering their support for undocumented students. The district had allotted 90 minutes on their agenda to discuss immigration issues, including the resolution. It was approved within roughly ten minutes of the discussion.

The resolution cites a 1982 supreme court ruling that says “all children are entitled to a public education regardless of their immigration status or the status of their parents.”

Last week, as Fox 7 reported, advocates complained that district lawyers had sent out a  memo discouraging employees from distributing materials directly to students and parents. The memo said the employees may face administrative and legal consequences if they use their position to engage in prohibited speech and expressions.

On Monday, Austin ISD Superintendent Dr. Paul Cruz publicly addressed the district’s policy. He says flyers placed around the common areas don't have to be approved by the district. But that there is a longstanding district policy that requires the district to vet any information that educators and employees hand out directly to students.

And he said they are working to ensure all students feel safe at school.

“I want to assure the Austin community, the Board of Trustees, and I, and our team members, we fully support our students who are here with us,” he said adding, “We fully support all of our students. We fully support them to learn and to excel, that's why we are here to educate our students. We are unwavering in our expectations, high expectations, for all of our students, and the learning environment that is conducive to learning, to positive learning will be there for all of our kids.”