United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) planning documents and materials appear to advocate for use of school resources as ‘form of resistance’ against ICE; promote ‘engaging students in community self-defense’ by offering ‘service learning hours’
Incidents
SUMMARY
Unearthed United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA) planning documents and materials appear to advocate for the use of school and district resources as a “form of resistance” against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions and promote “engaging students in community self-defense” by offering “service learning hours.” The trove of materials include a slide presentation titled “Preparing for ICE at your school,” images of hand written planning notes, and additional documents allegedly promoting anti-ICE actions such as the SALUTE method and other resources to warn and aid community members.
Captured images of planning notes seem to advocate for the use of professional development time to “make door hanger immigration kits: w/ pro bono lawyers, affidavits, KYR, etc – distribute,” “engaging students in community self-defense – offer service learning hours,” using school budgets to “buy bullhorns, whistles,” using “security cameras to monitor” for ICE agents, and the use of “phone trees – rapid response/ communication at the school level” such as the “Signal App” to alert to ICE presence.
According to a document titled “School Safety Plan: Responding to Immigration Enforcement,” staff are directed to employ the plan should a federal agent attempt to “interview, to detain a student or staff; or if a federal agency demands student information.” The protocol includes an added section titled “UTLA Activation” which states that should federal agents name a “student or staff member they are after,” the teachers union starts a communication chain that may include UTLA notifying “the media to go to school.”
The modified protocol also states that should the situation escalate “where agents use force or bypass REF-6767.4 protocols,” the “UTLA Activation” section states that the union will activate “LARRN to respond and mobilize to the school for a rally-action. Surround the school with supporters. Media will be invited; media briefing as needed.”
PREPARING FOR ICE AT YOUR SCHOOL
The presentation titled “Preparing for ICE at your school” includes a series of slides highlighting timeline information related to ICE actions, including a slide titled “Student kidnappings…that we know of.” The document also notes the Los Angeles Unified School District’s (LAUSD) response to the issue via the district’s “LAUSD Campuses as Safe Zones and Resource Centers.”
Also included is UTLA’s response which states that it would engage in “20 days of non-violent protest and action” and “bargaining language” that declares that “the buildings and grounds of LAUSD (including pick-up and drop-off sites at all entries and exits) are sanctuary spaces for all students, parents, administrators, bargaining unit members, and community members at the school for school-related business and jointly committed to defend the right to a free and safe learning environment to the extent permitted by law.”
Local School Leadership Council (LSLC)
The training documents promote using the “LSLC as a form of resistance.” The “LSLC” refers to the district’s Local School Leadership Council which is a “shared decision-making body including elected parents or community members, and school personnel” and is charged with creating “local policy in five areas: staff professional development, student discipline (PBIS), the school schedule of events and activities, guidance for equipment use (i.e. copy machines), and the budget account for instructional materials.”
This section of the presentation appears to show how LAUSD teachers and UTLA members plan to leverage the various LSLC policy areas to act as a “form of resistance.”
The slide titled “Discipline/ Student Safety” and the corresponding note taking image includes actions such as “revamping tardy policy to get students into building,” pushing “LAUSD for ‘lock down’ if ICE is on/near campus – shelter in place,” “engaging students in community self-defense – offer service learning hours,” keeping “students away from gates at lunch/recess,” and “patroling school sites depending on community.”
The materials titled “Calendar & Events” includes scheduling “presentations for parents re: what is needed/ being done to protect students,” opening schools “earlier so students are not targets as they wait,” and scheduling “a practice drill with the intent to consider it being a multi threat consideration.”
The slide and notes titled “Professional Development” (PD) include “parent workshops” such as “parent/family trainings” and “home visits,” “teacher/staff leading discussions with students,” “use PD time to make door hanger immigration kits: w/ pro bono lawyers, affidavits, KYR, etc – distribute,” and “organizing after detaining.”
The image of planning notes titled “School Equipment” appears to advocate for using school district resources such as printing “materials for students/ parents,” using the “P.A. system,” buying “bullhorns, whistles,” using “security cameras to monitor,” “privacy fences (screens) for chain link fences,” “buy banners/ banner making machines” and include “QR code to ‘Know Your Rights’ (KYR),” “emergency equipment” such as “food supplies,” and “reaching out to different corporations for funds.”
The image titled “Other/ Miscellaneous” includes suggested actions such as “alternative assignments – technology/ paper & pencil,” “wistle [sic] code,” “parents participating in community patrols,” the use of “phone trees – rapid response/ communication at the school level” such as the “Signal App” to alert to ICE presence, and a “walking school bus” or “walking to school program with parent volunteers.”
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS
Included in the collection of materials are additional documents related to exposing the location of ICE agents and other immigration enforcement actions, notices to post on office walls, and other resources for families.
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