Corvallis High students propose amendment to require family notification when immigration enforcement seeks student records

A student representative for Corvallis High School told the Corvallis School Board on Jan. 22 that nearly 1,000 students from CHS, Creston Valley and other district schools participated in a peaceful walkout responding to increased immigration enforcement activity and submitted a proposed amendment to a district resolution addressing the rights of undocumented students.

The student, speaking on behalf of the CHS Student Council, proposed that "if immigration enforcement requests access to student records, information, or district data, the district shall make reasonable and timely efforts to notify the affected students, parents, guardians, or caregivers regardless of whether the request was granted or denied, unless notification is prohibited by law or by a valid court order," and asked that notifications be provided "as soon as practical and whenever possible" in a language the family understands.

The amendment aims to require family notification and to increase transparency and protections for students and families. "This amendment is incredibly important because it ensures that families are informed of any requests for the student's information, prompting transparency, safeguarding student privacy, and allowing families to take appropriate steps to protect their children," the representative said.

Board members and staff responded with a mix of support for the students' civic engagement and questions about operational and safety risks. One board member said the language may be "very prescriptive" in areas with heightened surveillance and warned that mandating notification "as soon as possible" could "jeopardize the safety of the students." The board member asked the student council to explain how they evaluated benefits and risks of requiring notification and whether the proposal was initiated by undocumented students or by allies.

The student representative said the proposal came from the school council's review of the resolution and offered to provide additional information that the board requested. Superintendent Ryan offered to provide further details and follow-up information to the board.

No formal board action or vote on the proposed amendment occurred during the meeting. The item was presented to the board for consideration and additional information was requested.

The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m.