District settles bias complaint
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 4, 2005
Anne Ryman

 SCOTTSDALE - The Scottsdale Unified School District has agreed to make changes to settle a discrimination complaint filed by Latino activists last year.

 Superintendent John Baracy and the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights recently signed an agreement to develop better procedures for communicating with Latino parents. 

The agreement likely will improve services for parents who don't speak English.

The Arizona chapter of the League of United American Citizens, or LULAC, asked the U.S. Office of Civil Rights to investigate last year after a high-profile incident at Ingleside Middle School where a teacher was accused of slapping Spanish-speaking students. The teacher was fired. The complaint also said district officials were not in touch with the Latino community.

 Among the changes the school district agreed to: 

• Keep a list of non-English-speaking parents and students who may need translation services.

 • Keep a list of interpreters and translators.

 • Provide written translations of school documents.