Much of the focus of Beaumont ISD's Thursday board meeting last week centered on the contract extension of the embattled electrician Calvin Walker.
But one other group was demonstrating on behalf of Latino's, saying the district has made no effort to support Spanish speaking parents with interpreters. Leaving those parents unable to communicate effectively with district officials.
"Thank you for acknowledging how little you care about Latinos," Luis Lopez said Thursday.
He was speaking to board members, claiming the district does little to acknowledge it's Latino student body. Lopez along with other students stood with signs saying BISD does not care about Latinos.
He noted that there was a lack of interpreters for parents who don't understand or speak english.
"When they go to the school, or administration building to find out what's going on. They're not able to communicate," Lopez said Tuesday.
It's an issue that Lopez says he and others faced as BISD students. During Thursday's meeting he cited an incident where, he believes, administrators inappropriately tried to help a Latino parent.
"A parent tried to speak to the Superintendent. When asked if the administration building had an interpreter, was told a custodian would suffice," Lopez said at the meeting.
Lopez commented on his words from Thursday's board meeting saying "Not to disrespect the custodian, he can be highly educated but regardless he is not aware of all the issues in BISD,"
"Anytime an administrator is face to face with a parent in need. In no way are we ever going to push them away," Bilingual, ESL, and Foreign Language Supervisor Julie Corona said in response.
Corona says the district was likely trying to help a parent in the heat of the moment. She adds the district has a liaison for spanish speaking parents on request but will try to help in anyway possible if there is no prior notice.
Lopez says he holds no grudge with the district but that he is only speaking for his community who can't speak for themselves.
"We're not out to get BISD, it's parents that come to us. At this point, we refuse to turn our back on parents looking for an answer," Lopez said Tuesday.
Lopez says a big concern is having an interpreter at board meetings. The district says it's liaison goes to meetings to translate if requested. The district also says special meetings are held for Latino parents when big issues are coming before the board such as redistricting.
BISD offers classes for spanish speaking parents at education summits where they can learn to communicate with faculty. The next one is scheduled on October 6th at Central Medical Magnet High School.
