Support Resolution 2847 - Providing Inside Waiting Areas for Parents and Guardians

The following was a written public comment submitted to the PUSD Board of Education ahead of their October 23rd meeting.

Dear Board President Hall Lee and Members of the Board: 

I am writing on behalf of Collaborate PASadena to express our strong support for Resolution 2847, which will require all PUSD campuses to provide parents and legal guardians with access to inside waiting areas during student pick-up times. 

Our organization, dedicated to improving the lives of children and families throughout Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre, believes that this resolution represents a critical step toward ensuring the safety and well-being of all families in our school communities. As our mission states, we work to "eliminate disparities in outcomes for children by partnering with the community and advocating to reduce structural racism and systemic inequities." The creation of safe, accessible indoor waiting areas directly supports this mission. 

We must acknowledge the gravity of the current climate. Across California and nationwide, we have witnessed disturbing incidents where parents have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while dropping off or picking up their children from school. Recent examples include: 

• A father detained by ICE after dropping off his child at a Linda Vista Elementary School in San Diego in August 2025 

• A parent detained outside a Garden Grove elementary school in August 2025, causing the school to go into lockdown 

• A 15-year-old student handcuffed outside a high school in LAUSD's San Fernando Valley in August 2025 

• A parent arrested by ICE outside Portland's Gerald E. Talbot Community School in September 2025 

These are not isolated incidents. They represent a pattern of enforcement actions that create trauma, fear, and disruption in school communities. As we stated in our "ICE Is Not Welcome Here" letter earlier this year, such actions "shatter trust; instill fear in classrooms, clinics, and homes; and turn neighbor against neighbor and friend against friend." They create an environment where families—particularly immigrant families—may become too frightened to fully participate in their children's education. 

The California State PTA, which shares our commitment to the well-being of all children, has long maintained that "every child deserves to attend school without fear, and schools must remain safe spaces for learning where every child can thrive." The PTA has emphasized that schools should be defined in statute as "sensitive locations" where enforcement actions should not occur. They affirm that all children, regardless of immigration status, have the right to access education in a safe environment. 

While Resolution 2847 addresses physical spaces rather than enforcement policies, it represents a tangible, practical step toward creating that safer environment. Indoor waiting areas provide shelter from the elements, but they also offer a measure of protection from the uncertainty and vulnerability that many families experience when forced to wait outside school grounds. 

However, we believe that while this resolution is a step in the right direction, it must come with real accountability and district-level responsibility: 

• The district must actively support schools in creating and maintaining safe indoor waiting spaces for families, not merely mandate their existence. 

• PUSD needs a clear, district-wide definition of safety that includes the lived realities of immigrant parents/caregivers who face the greatest risks. 

• Safety cannot be assumed—it must be explicitly defined, resourced, and enforced by the district, not left to individual schools or staff to figure out. 

• All schools should be aligned under a shared standard of safety for pick-up and drop-off, ensuring consistency and protection for every family across the district. 

• The district must take the lead regarding staffing and guidance to make these protections real and sustainable. 

  
  

Collaborate PASadena stands ready to partner with the district in implementing this resolution. We can help engage community voices, facilitate communication with vulnerable populations, and assist in developing appropriate protocols that truly meet the needs of all families.

Our vision is for every child in our community to grow up in a safe, stable, and supportive environment. Resolution 2847 brings us one step closer to making that vision a reality for all children in PUSD.

We urge you to approve this resolution and commit to its full, equitable implementation across all schools. 

Respectfully submitted, 

G Albert 

Executive Director 

Collaborate PASadena