September 6, 2017
Dear AUSD Community,
On February 14, 2017, the Albany Unified School District passed Resolution #2016-17-13 designating AUSD as a Safe Haven School District. As a school district, we are routinely faced with issues outside the classroom that impact our students’ safety, security, and ability to function well in even the best learning environment. The announcement made by President Trump to end the Deferred Action of Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program violates the principles stated in our resolution and that we value as a District.
We want to reaffirm AUSD’s commitment to providing ALL of our children access to an excellent education regardless of their immigration status or the immigration status of their parents. We will continue to be a Safe Haven school district, and we want EVERY child and family in our district to know that we will do everything in our power to keep them safe and secure. Our staff is available if families have questions or if students need to speak with a counselor or school administrator. Please be assured that AUSD does NOT keep any records indicating immigration or citizenship status for our students or their families.
There are several resources regarding DACA on our district website under the Quick Links section.
As former President Obama said in his statement today, “What makes us American is not a question of what we look like, or where our names come from, or the way we pray. What makes us American is our fidelity to a set of ideals -- that all of us are created equal; that all of us deserve the chance to make of our lives what we will; that all of us share an obligation to stand up, speak out, and secure our most cherished values for the next generation.”
The right to a free public education is a fundamental cornerstone of our democracy. The Albany Unified School District is committed to protecting that right for all of our students.
Paul Black
President, Albany School Board
Val Williams
Superintendent