A California school board member is defending her comments that deporting children in the country illegally improves the quality of education for American and legal immigrant students, triggering backlash from the left and national attention.
Maya Phillips, a trustee on the Ramona Unified School District board in San Diego County, made the remarks during the board’s March 4 meeting.
“The more illegal aliens with children are deported from Ramona, the better the student-to-teacher ratio,” Phillips said, in comments designated for individual board member observations. “The quality of education for our American and legal immigrant children” improves when the student population shrinks.
In a written statement to CBS 8, Phillips described her comments as a “practical observation” rather than a political stance. “I do not pick one side over the other,” she wrote.
Phillips placed responsibility on the parents of children in the country illegally. “It’s a choice to be in the country illegally, and parents choose to put their kids in this situation of constant fear of enforcement,” she said.
She also sought to reassure legally present families in the district. “I want to reaffirm my personal commitment to supporting every student and family, regardless of their background or immigration status, as required by law,” Phillips said. She added, “I reassured immigrant families who are here legally that they have no reason to worry about immigration enforcement and no cause for their children to miss school. I did not express a personal opinion; my comment was a factual, neutral, and legally compliant observation about the potential practical effects of federal immigration enforcement policies. I did not use any words that would suggest my preference for one side or another.”
Daryn Drum, president of the Ramona Unified board, distanced the district from Phillips’ remarks. “Our School Board, teachers, staff and District work incredibly hard every day to create an educational environment that is safe, welcoming and non-judgmental for all students,” Drum told CBS 8, noting that he personally “vehemently disagree with and condemn Mrs. Phillips’ comments.”
