Eastside Union High School District Supports Immigration Reform and Joins Reform Immigration For America

In a historic vote, the East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD) Board of Trustees voted unanimously in February to support immigration reform and to join the national campaign for reform, Reform Immigration For America.  Due to the leadership of the Seven Trees Leadership Committee and SIREN, the ESUHSD became the first high school district in the country to join the national campaign.  Similarly, in 2009 the San Jose/Evergreen College District became the first community college district in the nation to join the national campaign. 

This victory was a result of SIREN’s organizing effort in the Seven Trees neighborhood. In December a member of the Seven Trees Leadership Committee organized a presentation for SIREN during a cafecito (morning parent meeting) at Los Arboles Elementary School.  After the presentation a teacher from the school recommended that SIREN contact the East Side Union High School District so the board and district could publicly support immigration reform.  We learned that the name of the person was Patricia Martinez-Roach, currently a member of the Board of Trustees. 

At the February meeting of the ESUHSD Board our resolution came up for a vote. 
Two strong community testimonies gave a strong voice to the issue. 

The first one came from Bianca, a Seven Trees resident and the co-chair of Student Advocates for Higher Education (SAHE), a student organization that promotes higher education for immigrant students.  Bianca came to the United States at the age of 16.  She quickly learned English and excelled in Andrew Hill High School.  Bianca graduated as Senior of the Year. Currently, she studies at San Jose State University. Her testimony focused on the struggles of undocumented students during high school and at institutions of higher education, such as financial obstacles. 
The second testimony came from Katia. She is a senior at James Lick High School and a strong leader with Californians for Justice and in her community. Katia presented the need for the district to better prepare high school students for college and support  undocumented students so that all students can continue achieve their dreams.