Lawsuit alleges segregation (from liberal English as 2nd Language program)

Ft. Worth Star Telegram ^ | 4/19/06 | Melissa Sanchez

[hispanarepublicana]

By MELISSA SÀNCHEZ Star-Telegram Staff Writer The nation's leading Mexican-American legal organization filed suit in a federal court Tuesday against the Dallas school district and the principal of a north Dallas elementary school on allegations of segregation and discrimination.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund represents parents who say Preston Hollow Elementary School and Principal Teresa Parker illegally use its English as a second language program to segregate Hispanic and minority students from Anglo students, regardless of their language abilities, officials say. For example, some Hispanic students are being placed in ESL classes even though they can speak English efficiently, the lawsuit says.

School district officials did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

MALDEF alleges that the school organizes its general education classes and combines grade levels to keep Anglo students, who comprise 18 percent of the school, together in classrooms. MALDEF staff attorney David Hinojosa says it's "an effort to deter white flight."

"Fifty years after Brown v. The Board of Education, it is a shame that segregation continues to plague our schools," Hinojosa said in a news release. "Using ESL as a proxy to segregate schoolchildren cannot be tolerated."

Hinojosa called on the district to answer the outcry of Hispanic parents by ending the practice.

Lucresia Mayorga Santamaria, lead plaintiff and mother of three Preston Hollow students, says the school has purposely tried to keep Hispanic children off the school brochure "because they didn't want the surrounding neighborhood to get the wrong impression."

"We will not stand by any longer, because our children deserve the same opportunities as all other children of Preston Hollow," Santamaria said.

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[hispanarepublicana]

My parents always detested these "migrant" and "ESL" programs the liberals pushed because they felt they were segrationist. My folks discouraged us from joining hispanic student groups and clubs because they felt they were "self segregating". My parents thought kids that didn't speak English or speak English well did better by full immersion in English-based curriculum. And they were right. (but I still like to write with sentence fragments).

[P-40]

ESL classes are crap and do nothing but hurt the very people they supposedly are meant to help. Total English Immersion, with tutoring in Spanish on a limited basis, is the only way to go.

[MadeInAmerica]

I want to be an American...I want to be an American


but I will not speak english. I am Mexican, so teach me in spanish.

GO BACK TO MEXICO

[Deguello]

It is about the money. There is Federal Money to be had for enrolling as many students as possible into these programs.

[hispanarepublicana]

It is about the money. There is Federal Money to be had for enrolling as many students as possible into these programs.

That's also true for free-lunch enrollments. That's why the school always pushed my parents to enroll us, but my dad said if he wasn't working hard enough to keep us fed, he wasn't being a very good dad.

[Unam Sanctam]

Sounds like MALDEF is right on this one. These children should be in full English language classes, not ESL, if they speak English.

[stopem]

"The nation's leading Mexican-American legal organization filed suit in a federal court Tuesday against the Dallas school district and the principal of a north Dallas elementary school on allegations of segregation and discrimination."

Now they file law suits. Yet another attempt at taking over, they aren't content with overcrowding our schools, with free college and all the advantages some people never get! Always race baiting with them!

[hispanarepublicana]

Yeah....but now it's 2 liberal "causes" cannibalizing another...it makes me smile.
PS: I never got free college nor would have I accepted it if it was just because I was "Mexican American".....mostly because I'm "Texican American".

[MadeInAmerica]

No question it's race baiting. I'm with you. They know our weakness as a Nation is vote pandering PC politicians that will trade anything for a vote.

[DumpsterDiver]

MALDEF staff attorney David Hinojosa says it's "an effort to deter white flight."

Maybe MALDEF should make "white flight" illegal.

[Deguello]

The MSM would be best suited to find out how much Federal Money each of these "program" kids bring in & the number per school vs expenditures on such programs. Follow the money.

[PAR35]

I would question this story. It's my recollection that the DISD is only about 10% Anglo. No one's going to make any accomodation for them.

[Singermom]

Doncha love how MALDEF sues and states that we are not abiding by THE LAW? Talk about discrimination. People here illegally purposfully break our law and that part is lefdt out of the story.

Those here ILLEGALLY are taking us to court for breaking the Law? Absolutely absurd!!!!!

I get it even the lawbreakers are selectively chosing which laws they demand be enforced.

[BeAllYouCanBe]

For example, some Hispanic students are being placed in ESL classes even though they can speak English efficiently, the lawsuit says.

So efficiently speaking English would mean you can do it on only 1/2 tank of gas?

Could the real efficient kids have sentences with only two words? I've hear these high school kids who only grunt and use profanity that is probably what they mean here.