PSLC and Bethlehem Schools Propose Settlement

PSLC and Bethlehem Schools Propose Settlement in Federal Suit


The Bethlehem Area School Board is proposing a settlement in a federal lawsuit against the district. The Pennsylvania Statewide Latino Coalition has been challenging the way school board members get elected. WFMZ's Stephanie Esposito has the details.

A line of taxpayers formed at the podium to voice their opinion on Sis Obed Torres. The Hispanic community is passionate about having Latino representation after they lost the last open seat. Two of the Latina women not selected for the position filed a lawsuit against Bethlehem Area School District, saying the method of picking school board members is discriminatory. The Bethlehem Area School District would not go on camera, but described their proposal to settle. They claim the plaintiff says they should have nine separate districts. After mediation, the proposed resolution is to have three separate election districts, so three people would be elected by district and six would be elected at large. Sis Obed-Torres' wife was one of the women who filed the lawsuit. He is one of five people to interview for the open school board seat. Tonight there was a motion for Torres to fill the empty seat until the next election. TORRES: Lots of skills including listening, the ability to read and write, and study issues, and to dialogue, and the ability to disagree respectfully if that is called for. REPORTER: Torres said having Hispanic representation could be a bridge between the community and the school. TORRES: Parents come to us over the years alleging discrimination. Sometimes there has been discrimination; sometimes there is a language issue or a misunderstanding.


a propuesta ya está sobre la mesa pero ahora la Junta Escolar de Bethlehem tiene que decidir si la acepta o no. Hace dos años, la Coalición Latina de Pensilvania demandó a la Junta alegando que ésta sigue un proceso de elección de miembros que no favorece a la población latina. Ahora la Junta discute la propuesta que según la Coalición habrá de corregir el problema.

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Nonprofits & Activism

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• pslc
• PA
• latino
• latina
• hispanic
• pslconline