From correspondent Virginia Bridges
The Southern Poverty Law Center has threatened to file a federal complaint if the Durham Public Schools doesn’t immediately curb alleged discrimination against Latino students and their families.
Attorney Jerri Katzerman, director of educational advocacy for the Montgomery, Ala., based nonprofit civil rights organization, said the organization has spoken with hundreds of Hispanic families in Durham since last year.
“These children and parents report that they have limited access to languages interpreters, are unable to read and understand important school documents, and, most alarmingly, that students often experience a hostile environment where they are made to feel unwelcome and unwanted in their neighborhood schools,” Katzerman said in a Tuesday letter.
A DPS statement, provided by spokeswoman Tahira Stalberte, said the school system has referred the complaint to its attorneys and is investigating the claims. Efforts to rreach school board chairwoman Minnie Forte-Brown were unsuccessful.
“We are committed to providing appropriate services to all students in DPS and to complying with the requirements of federal law in serving students of all nationalities,” the school statement said.
The letter, which asks the school system to respond within 10 businesses days, indicates that if an agreement can’t be reached the law center will file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
Look for more on this story coming Sunday in The Durham News.
Comments
bfd
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 16:57 — SkepticalGirlWho cares if the illegals are treated differently? I pay taxes, and I don't.
WHAT?
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 15:23 — mlaureano203what, notobama2012. just because someone doesnt speak english doesn't mean they are here illegally? thats ridiculous and completely ignorant of you to say. there's plenty of people that come to this country legally, but don't know the language yet. if you were to travel to japan, france, el salvador, etc... would you know the language right away?? you sound completely foolish. i'm so sure it would be easy for you to learn a language with a snap of a finger, right? is that why you criticize so harshly? because you can learn another language so easily. if they come here LEGALLY, they should most definitley have the right to have interpreters avaiable to them until they learn the language. why not? come on, you can't seriously be so closed minded as to think that all foreign language speakers are illegal, can you?
why would someone move to a
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 15:42 — dar456why would someone move to a different country, set up a permanent residence and not plan on learning the langauge? furthermore, why would someone move to a different country, setup residence, then expect that country to cater to their individual needs?
go to el salvador, sit in a classroom and ask the teacher for an interpreter. once they are done laughing at you, come back here and present your argument again.
Isn't the SLPC just another
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 14:47 — TheLibertineIsn't the SLPC just another shill organization funded by George Soros?
everyone hates the white man
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 14:15 — dar456everyone hates the white man until the bill comes.
(In Living Colour reference)
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 14:46 — TheLibertine@ dar456: Your comment gets two snaps with a lime twist.
English spoken here
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 14:13 — FlowerpowerHow misguided. We teach in English here in America. We do not provide interpreters; however, the latinos have the same opportunity as every other immigrant to LEARN English. Stop the pandering. We can't afford it right now. Recession, REMEMBER?
estúpido extranjero ilegal analfabetos
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 14:07 — BigSharkBrought to you by google language tools...
Estupido ignorante que
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 15:28 — mlaureano203Estupido ignorante que critica a las personas que no hablan tu idioma. Pero tuviste que usar un programa para escribir el idioma de ellos. Cuando se abriran la mente para dejar de ser tan pendejos?
SPLC
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 13:58 — teddemr1Who cares. Tell the SPLC to fund the additional programs. SPLC is just another race-baiting organization looking to get their name in the paper. No more entitlements, no more handouts, and no more catering to illegal aliens!
Durham Schools and Latinos
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 13:48 — NotObama2012I am sorry if the Hispanic population in Durham doesn't speak English. If children that are attending classes in this country don't speak English, then they are probably in the country illegally and have no business being in our schools. The Hispanic population thinks we should bend over, kiss their behinds, and cater to them. I for one think they need to go back to their own country. When my relatives came into this country, they worked hard to learn the language and assimulate themselves to fit in. The Hispanics want to be able to make their own rules and be allowed to do whatever they want. GET OVER YOURSELVES. Come here legally, learn the language, follow the rules, and everybody will get along just fine. You can celebrate your heritage, but respect the country that has allowed you to live here. If you can't respect this country, GO HOME!
After Making Durham a Sanctuary for Illegal aliens...
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 13:22 — mike27513So after Mayor Bell, the Durham City Council and the Left Wing-Nuts in Durham went to all the trouble of making Drugham a Sanctuary city and magnet for Illegals, they will now get to pay much more to educate them. Ah yes, the irony.
Thank goodness Drugham has No crime, Massive Budget surpluses, Full employment, Low Taxes and is the Best Place to Live in the entire universe [ from some unknown publication]. And hey, don't forget they have Proud NCCU graduate Crystal Mangum as a resident [ currently in the Durham jail on a felony charge ....but nevermind that]
Any wonder why we are broke?
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 13:14 — stevemichaelsYou see a school system in 2011 not only has to provide teachers, janitors, office staff - but have to provide interpreters, teachers for "english as second language" staff to translate documents. I am going to shock people when I say this - but if you want your children to "fit in" and "be accepted" by other students then it helps if you teach them the same language as their classmates -
why would you want your
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 15:26 — mlaureano203why would you want your children to "fit in" with other kids who poke fun and humiliate them because they don't speak a certain language? ESL is there for children who don't know english and whose parents can't teach them for various different reasons, to learn english. people need to stop criticizing and bashing on the programs that do exactly what most people are asking for... teaching immigrants english.
Don't worry DPS. Eric
Thu, 04/14/2011 - 12:20 — PhantomLordDon't worry DPS. Eric Holder wouldn't call latinos "my people", so he will either go easy on ya, or just not bother with any action at all.