MANTECA—Parents of Sierra High School students protesting the loss of an English as a second language class and impending layoffs of bilingual aides have enlisted the help of lawyers.

“We’re looking into whether (Manteca Unified School District) is in compliance with bilingual education requirements of the state,” said California Rural Legal Assistance attorney Arturo Ocampo.

Ocampo presented the district board of trustees with a written request for records at a meeting Tuesday. Immediately after, dozens of parents, students, teachers and aides pleaded with the board to help students who have limited English skills.

The day before, 30 Sierra students were suspended for three days after they walked out of class and marched with signs across town.

English as a second language courses in January were canceled at all three of Manteca’s high schools and moved to Lathrop Adult School, in response to new state requirements.

Superintendent Marv Tatum said his office will quickly process Ocampo’s request.

“I think we’re very close” to meeting minimum requirements, Tatum said. “We’re going to do a little staff review and see where we are. The last time we had a compliance review, we had very high marks.”

Almost no school in California complies fully with rigorous state requirements because it’s next to impossible to find enough bilingual teachers, Assistant Superintendent Frank Purdy said. Only 5 percent of Hispanic high school students, who represent the largest non-English minority in California, go on to college, Purdy said.

The state Department of Education generally give good marks to districts which show they actively recruit bilingual teachers and are doing their best with bilingual education, Purdy said.

Ocampo said he will withhold judgment on Manteca’s program until he gets the district’s records. Meanwhile, he has his doubts.

“There are probably some serious problems with the entire district,” Ocampo said, based on the concerns of Tuesday’s standing-room-only crowd. He said he is working with about 10 families, all connected to Sierra High.

Twenty-three bilingual aides throughout the district will be laid off after the school year, unless trustees reverse that decision in budget talks slated to begin in March.

Trustees have also abolished seventh- and eighth-grade volleyball and flag football, sliced substitute teachers’ daily pay from $82 to $75, and will not fill eight vacant positions.



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