Dear Parents, Guardians, and Community Members,
As the Superintendent of the Coalinga-Huron Unified School District, my highest priority is the safety and well-being of all our students, and this is best ensured when students remain on campus and in class. I am asking all families to please encourage their students to stay on campus during the school day and to fully participate in their learning. Superintendents across Fresno County have issued a unified request to students and families to end off‑campus school walkouts, citing concerns about student safety and the impact on learning during the school day. District superintendents expressed both respect for student expression and the need to keep students safe and engaged in instruction, and they asked parents to take time to talk with their students about the importance of being in class and the safety risks posed when students leave campus during school hours.
Hearing from Parents, Guardians, and Community Members
Thank you to everyone for taking the time to share your concerns regarding the planned ICE-related student protest. I know that events like this can stir strong emotions, create uncertainty, and raise understandable questions about student safety, instructional time, and the role of our schools. Our district takes these concerns seriously and approaches this situation with both care and a firm commitment to student well-being and the law.
To begin, I want to be clear: the planned protest is student‑initiated, not district‑sponsored nor district‑organized. The district is not directing students to participate, taking a position on the political issue, or using district resources to promote or oppose the protest. Our responsibility is to maintain student safety, enforce attendance and sign‑out procedures, and ensure staff complies with all legal and ethical requirements.
Students’ Rights and Attendance Rules
California Education Code section 48205, as amended by Senate Bill 955, requires that a middle school or high school student be excused from school for one school‑day absence per year when the absence is for engagement in a civic or political event, and the student notifies the school ahead of time. The law defines “civic or political event” broadly, including—but not limited to—voting, poll working, strikes, public comment, candidate speeches, political forums, civic forums, and town halls, and allows administrators discretion to excuse additional days for such events.
What does all of this mean for this protest?
If parents or guardians allow their student to participate in the protest, the student must be signed out by a parent/guardian before the planned protest time, in accordance with our standard campus sign‑out procedures. Students who are not properly signed out by a parent or guardian ahead of the event will not receive an excused absence under Education Code section 48205, which requires advance notification for civic or political events. Under SB 955, a middle school or high school student may receive only one school‑day‑long excused absence per school year for civic or political engagement, with any additional days excused only at an administrator’s discretion.
Participation in a walkout may therefore be recorded as excused or unexcused depending on: advance notice to the school, adherence to sign‑out and safety procedures, and the principal’s judgment under Education Code 48205 and district policy. For athletics and activities, our schools will apply the same attendance and eligibility rules used for all absences: qualifying excused absences are treated the same as any other excused absence, while repeated unexcused truancy may affect eligibility.
Safety, Supervision, and Staff Conduct
Our first priority is always student safety. We are not “sending” or requiring students to leave campus; any student who chooses to participate off campus remains responsible, along with their parent/guardian, for following sign‑out and attendance procedures. Site staff will be visibly present and, where appropriate, coordinate with local agencies to maintain order, manage traffic and crowd safety, and ensure a safe route for students who leave.
We also take very seriously the laws governing staff political activity and the use of public resources, including Education Code sections 7054–7057 and our board policies on employee conduct. These rules prohibit employees from using district funds, supplies, or equipment to urge support for or opposition to the protest, and require political neutrality during the workday. Supervising students, tracking attendance, and planning for safety do not constitute political endorsement; they are part of our legal and ethical duty to protect students and uphold their rights.
Our Commitment to Law and Community
I understand that some families are deeply worried that allowing any student protest could be seen as the district encouraging or supporting a political cause. I want to assure you that our obligation as a public school district is to uphold students’ lawful rights to peaceful civic participation; apply attendance rules and SB 955’s provisions fairly, regardless of viewpoint; enforce safety and sign‑out procedures; and ensure that staff follow all laws and board policies related to political activity.
We are also reviewing communications with staff and families to ensure expectations are clear: no employee should ever direct students to violate safety procedures or attendance rules, and students and families should understand their rights and the consequences of walking out. Your advocacy for lawful conduct, student safety, and instructional time is important, and your feedback helps us better serve all students.
Thank you for your continued partnership and for engaging with us on this sensitive issue. If you have any additional questions, please contact my office or your school principal so we can continue this conversation.
Sincerely,
Dr. David Moore
Superintendent, Coalinga-Huron Unified School District