—ALL BATAVIA RESIDENTS — whether or not you have children in Batavia schools or own your residence, if you live in Batavia, please read.

We are asking for community support in our call to our BPS101 school board to pass an ICE-Free Policy. Please read below and sign the petition. Next, share it with your friends and neighbors. Then, save the date and plan to attend the board meeting on Tuesday, November 18, at 7:00 PM to show your solidarity for this needed policy.

ALL BATAVIA RESIDENTS (and teachers, school staff, other government reps, business owners) are encouraged to participate in this effort to protect kids from witnessing and being party to illegal ICE operations on district properties. 

CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE DOES NOT APPLY TO ANY DISTRICT PROPERTY INCLUDING ALL SCHOOLS. There should be an equal number of signatures on this petition as there were for city council. Encourage those who showed up for council’s efforts to show up for the kids, too. 

THE PETITION:

Dear BPS101 School Board Members,

We write as Batavia residents and parents of children enrolled in BPS101 urging you to adopt a policy in immediate compliance with HB 3247, the Safe Schools for All Act.

Our primary request is for the School Board to pass a policy that establishes clear boundaries for federal immigration enforcement on school grounds. We strongly encourage this policy to explicitly mandate that ICE agents may not enter school property without:

1. A valid official Judicial warrant.
2. Proof of identity (ID).
3. A written statement of purpose for the required entry.

Additionally, the policy should prohibit ICE from utilizing any school district-owned property or facilities for enforcement activity and provide mandatory, clear training to all school staff on protocol for any encounter with ICE agents.

Such policy is crucial not only for compliance with state law, but for maintaining an educational environment consistent with BPS101’s current goals and legacy of excellence. The presence of federal agents on school property—or the fear of their presence—creates a false and dangerous impression that attending school or utilizing district facilities could compromise the safety of our students and families. This is a direct barrier to learning causing fear, anxiety and (as neighboring districts have experienced) significant drops in attendance. All children and staff  have a right to feel safe at school. The Board has a responsibility to ensure students and staff are focused on education, not on the real worry of family detention.

This policy is an opportunity to stand in solidarity with the Batavia City Council as they consider similar protections for municipal property; and to listen to the many BPS101 parents who’ve spoken on this topic publicly and written to the school board. It is an opportunity to affirm Batavia’s and the school district’s values of belonging, of including, of never turning away a neighbor in need. Batavia prides itself on being a welcoming and unifying community. Our immigrant neighbors contribute to this community, to our culture, our spirit, our business, and our schools, making our town stronger and our kids safer. 

The U.S. immigration system is complex, and this is not a problem we expect the School Board to solve. We ask that you protect the integrity of our schools as educational sanctuaries. Right now, families are living in fear that a parent or family member may not return home. You have the power to mitigate fear within the bounds of our district property. 

Neighboring districts, such as East Aurora School District 131, have passed policy in response to ICE abductions on their school property. Given that HB 3247 takes effect on January 1, 2026, acting now ensures proactive compliance with state law and expresses immediate care for our students and community values.

We have faith that the BPS101 School Board will meet these legislative requirements, uphold our shared community values, and take decisive action to protect the educational stability and safety of every child in our district.

Signed, 

Batavia Residents, Teachers, Families, Taxpayers, Workers, and all others wishing to protect the children in BPS101