The agreement between the state and the ACLU requires state authorities to visit schools, interview teachers, look at individual students’ records and take more hands-on steps to see if a school has a pattern of discriminating.
When CalMatters asked for a comment on the settlement, the California Department of Education sent CalMatters another copy of the settlement. But it has already begun implementing some of the requirements in the settlement, and has set up a hotline for families and students to report discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying.in California schools, but the state has not always taken an aggressive approach to tracking it at individual schools, according to the lawsuit.
“After a while she felt there was something wrong with her. I would have taken her out , but I didn’t have the resources,” said Black, a single mother. By the time L.G. was in fourth grade, the school placed her in a special class for students with emotional challenges, even though she did not have an Individualized Education Plan for special education. The girl felt isolated from her friends and floundered academically.
“It was a complete strain. I was getting calls nearly every day at work, and I didn’t know what to do,” said Black, who works as a community organizer in Oakland. “Psychologically, spiritually, mentally it really weighed on me. I was exhausted.”