The Richmond City School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to declare the city’s schools a “safe zone” from immigration enforcement.
As deportation fears grow among Richmond’s immigrant community, the board adopted a resolution stating that “it is the right of every child, regardless of immigration status, to access a free public K-12 education” — and RPS’s responsibility to ensure they can do so safely.
It also reiterates that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or any state or local law enforcement agencies attempting to enforce federal immigration policy on ICE’s behalf, must follow the division’s revised policy on interacting with law enforcement authorities.
The resolution and policy update come on the heels of President Donald Trump’s administration clearing the way for immigration officials — or local law enforcement officers acting under federal authority — to carry out arrests at schools.
Anne Forrester, president of the Richmond Education Association, congratulated the board for taking a stand by adopting the new policy.
“It’s great to see everyone is on the same page,” Forrester said.
Under the new policy, school staff must notify the principal immediately if immigration enforcement agents are requesting to enter a school. The principal is solely responsible for all interactions with immigration agents and must follow an eight-step process to handle the request.
Immigration enforcement agents would only be granted entry inside an RPS school if they are able to present a valid and signed judicial warrant or subpoena.
RPS parent Maria Martinez was unable to speak during the public comment period, which ran over the allotted time, but told VPM News prior to the meeting that she didn’t think RPS was going far enough to protect students.
“I don’t think they should be allowed in — period,” Martinez said of immigration officers. “I don't think [agents] coming in with the judicial warrant to get my 8-year-old should even be allowed, because [they] may suspect that he's illegally here. I'm so angry at this. I think it's vile. I think it's disgusting.”
Martinez said she’s had to explain to her son, who attends Mary Munford Elementary, the possibility of ICE agents entering schools, which made her want to cry.
“He just was so distraught and just emotionally wanting to start to cry, because that's just humiliating,” she said. “He was like, ‘Well, they don't want us here, so what are we going to do, Mommy? Do we have to start selling our things so we can leave?’”
In the event that access is granted, immigration enforcement agents will be asked to wait in a designated private area until a representative from the superintendent’s office and legal counsel arrive.
School principals have been directed not to provide any information — including students’ schedules or behavioral notes — without a lawyer present.
Students’ parents would also be notified.
Victoria Gochez, the district’s ombudsman, said all principals and principal directors have received two training sessions on how to handle visits from immigration officers. Other staff — including office associates, family liaisons and student support specialists — have undergone one training.
Kamras’ office is responsible for processing all ICE requests for school access or student data. RPS will be reviewing its record-keeping policies to ensure that no data is being collected with respect to a students’ immigration status.
The resolution also directs the division to create a “rapid response team” within 30 days to support students who may lose adult care due to detention or deportation.
Kamras is expected to report back on the implementation of the immigration enforcement policy during the next school board business meeting on Mar. 4.
Accusations of misconduct in talent, finance departments
Tuesday’s meeting was also marked by several RPS staff members raising allegations that Chief Talent Officer Maggie Clemmons has fostered a hostile work environment.
Forrester, the REA president, said she sent Kamras and the board a letter Friday on behalf of 14 employees in the talent and finance departments who had encountered issues with Clemmons.
By Tuesday, the complaint had stretched to more than 55 pages, with 18 personal statements alleging — among other misconduct — “inappropriate comments that are blatantly racist, ageist and discriminatory”; “coercion, especially of staff who have filed complaints and grievances”; and “favoritism in hiring, promotions, and reclassification.”
Forrester said all of the women who have experienced Clemmons’ alleged behavior are women of color — many of whom have dedicated almost their entire careers to RPS.
Clemmons, who joined RPS in August 2023 according to her LinkedIn profile, was present Tuesday while several people who signed the letter shared their stories — including HR specialist Sherrie Brown, who addressed the school board by proxy because her experience with Clemmons was “too difficult” for her to share.
“She accused me of being a liar, a thief and an ineffective employee,” REA board member Jacob Neal-Helt read on Brown’s behalf. ”In the days following [our] meeting, she continued to contact me relentlessly for my resignation, even after I took full FMLA and more disturbingly, in the days following my husband's death.”
RPS spokesperson Alyssa Schwenk told VPM News after the meeting that the division “takes all employee grievances and allegations of workplace misconduct seriously,” but could not comment further for privacy reasons.
