Boulder Valley School District schools will remain open Friday, Jan. 30, despite a significant staffing shortage after nearly one-quarter of teachers submitted leave in connection with a planned national protest urging people to stay home from work, school and shopping.
District officials said they were aware of the planned anti-ICE National Shutdown earlier this week but did not anticipate the scale of absences, particularly after both the Colorado Education Association and the Boulder Valley Education Association communicated that Friday was not an authorized day of action.
The planned shutdown and protests across the country have been driven by increasingly aggressive tactics used by ICE agents. So far in 2026, ICE agents have killed two Minneapolis protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, and six more people have died while in ICE detention, according to advocacy groups and media reports.
BVSD notified families Thursday evening that the unexpected absences would disrupt normal operations at many schools, but said district staff worked throughout the day to avoid closures. The district said all student absences will be excused for families who choose to keep children home.
The district’s notice comes as ICE-related demonstrations are planned across Boulder this weekend.
On Saturday, Jan. 31, a memorial bike ride for Alex Pretti, led by local cyclist and influencer Ryan Duzer, will meet at North Boulder Park at noon, followed by a separate “ICE Out” protest from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of Broadway and Canyon. On Sunday, Feb. 1, a five-mile “F ICE” group run will depart from Broadway and Maxwell Avenue at 9 a.m., led by local physical therapist Cait Alexander.
Read: ‘Our silence won’t save us’: Boulder faith leaders join national protests against ICE violence