Written by Alex Libermen and contributing reporter: Timothy Nesanelis
Amidst national and local tension, Sarasota County School Board Chair Bridget Ziegler proposed a resolution January 13 affirming that Sarasota schools will comply with law enforcement agents, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Sarasota County Schools reaffirms that its campuses are dedicated to education and shall not be used as safe harbors for criminals,” it reads, “ensuring that all interactions with law enforcement prioritize student safety and legal compliance while minimizing educational disruptions.”
Ziegler mentioned that fellow board member Tom Edwards attended an anti-ICE protest and remarked that ICE’s recent behavior made him doubtful of the agency’s dedication to printing a warrant prior to entering schools before she proposed Resolution 11.1. She said this was her motivation to bring it up.
She acknowledged that she also attends rallies at which she makes personal perspective comments while she discussed the resolution at the meeting.
“But the difference is,” Ziegler said in a phone interview, “it doesn’t put in question, particularly when it comes to law enforcement, our processes.”
Ziegler stated that she did not support a climate of fear. Edwards believes that ICE’s current actions are helping to cultivate one.
“I know that students are frightened. I know that students that are friends [with] or themselves are Hispanic are frightened,” he said over the phone. “…Hispanic family members are frightened and terrorized, and I know from the polling that I’m not the only one that’s distressed over this form of immigration policing.”
The resolution faced overwhelming opposition from those who came to speak at the board meeting’s public comment, including Pine View students.
Junior Omy Patel was one of the attendees in opposition to the resolution, citing that the school board has recently voted in opposition to what many students advocated for.
“The reason I had for attending the school board meeting was seeing that the school board was not prioritizing students but prioritizing a political agenda that no student wanted in the first place,” he said.
Patel reminded the board that he drove 42 miles and missed classes for the meeting because of the “ludicrous” resolution.
“This proposal does not improve student safety and it does not change district policy,” Patel said during public comment. “What it does do is bring one of the most polarizing national issues into a place where it does not belong.”
He added that as a first-generation child of immigrants, the resolution affected him personally.“This rhetoric we are pushing on immigrants is not only hateful, but harmful to the student body,” Patel told the board.
Junior Audrey Hwang also expressed her discontent with the board and the resolution.
“…I know that no matter how many students show up, no matter what we say, some of you will still continue to vote in the way that you want even though you were elected to represent us,” Hwang said during public comment.
Senior Bowie Lee, another student who attended the meeting, appreciated seeing Pine View students alongside her.
“I felt a lot more confident walking into that room knowing that I had friends with me and other people that could share the same perspective that I had, and I think it’s amazing that Pine View students are stepping up and trying to make a change,” Lee said.
On the Pine View campus, students in opposition to the resolution staged a walkout at the end of first period the day of the meeting.
“…It was to gain visibility and student visibility on how we don’t agree with how the school board is misrepresenting us, especially with amendment 11.1…,” an anonymous student said. “I felt like it was sort of a scare tactic…”
Prior to the walkout, Principal Dr. Stephen Covert sent out an email warning students about disrupting class time and potential consequences.
The walkout was relatively small, with most of the controversy happening at the board meeting.
After agenda comments, Ziegler addressed concerns on the resolution but did not change her stance.
“I applaud everyone for coming even if I don’t agree with you and I know it takes a lot for anyone to do public speaking, particularly our young students, she said prior to the vote, “but it personally hurts me when I hear how there is such a strong rhetoric that really is demonizing the work of our law enforcement officers including ICE.”
Ziegler said that the resolution does not mean that ICE raids should be anticipated in schools. Given existing rules, the resolution, 11.1, would not change the district’s policies in any way, as confirmed by Ziegler herself.
“This does not mean our staff are required or even involved in ICE operations such as notifying authorities about a student’s immigration status…,” she said at the meeting.
Edwards confirmed this, saying that the school district does not maintain any data on the immigration statuses of students or their families.
Neither Edwards nor Ziegler anticipate any changes relating to ICE policies in Sarasota County Schools, and Edwards emphasized that a warrant is necessary for any arrest.
The resolution passed with a 3-2 vote supported by Ziegler, Robyn Marinelli and Karen Rose, while Edwards and Liz Barker voted against it.
“I am disappointed that it was not a unanimous vote,” Ziegler said, “because that message is chilling in my personal opinion, but I think that we need to move forward.”
Although the vote did not go in Patel’s favor, he still encourages Pine View students to be active in the community.
“Being strong and having a voice — that’s what really matters. Whoever brings you down, you stand back up on your feet,” he said, “And that is exactly what Pine View has taught us.”