SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Thousands of students in the Santa Barbara Unified School District returned to class Monday as district leaders pledged to prioritize both safety and learning in the new school year.
Superintendent Hilda Maldonado said the district is addressing concerns from families, including fears about the potential presence of federal immigration agents on school campuses. She emphasized that staff members have been trained on safety protocols designed to protect students.
“We will use our safety protocols to ensure we validate who’s here, what is their business, and do they really have a real reason to be here,” Maldonado said. “If not, we will not allow them to take any student or family from our campus. We know that fear is real. For us, having the students participate in a free public education is our main mission.”…