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TUCSON, Ariz. -— Investigators from the federal Education Department's civil rights are looking into the treatment of non-English speakers who attend Tucson Unified School District meetings.

The district confirmed to the Arizona Daily Star late Friday that it had received a complaint. It alleges the district discriminated against Latinos by trying to limit their participation at board meetings.

The U.S. Department of Education says details about the allegations were not available because of an ongoing investigation. The details include who filed the report.

If the complaint is upheld the government would work with the district to come into compliance with civil-rights laws. An agreement would spell out the steps the district would need to take to comply and there would be monitoring to ensure that the agreement is being implemented.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Sales, income and property taxes,
    May 6, 2012 2:55 pm
    as well as fees paid by Spanish speakers contribute towards the operation of governments at all levels, including school boards. Spanish speakers share the same civil rights protections as do non Spanish speakers. Some intolerant Americans believe that Spanish speakers should not have their rights protected. A very unpatriotic view. Bummer for bigots as the laws of our land protect the civil rights of those that they despise.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Unfortunately the spanish speakers
    May 6, 2012 7:12 pm
    don't pay the total price for their uses of Translators, Voting materials ETC, so the rest of us children of "immigrants' have to pay the difference even though we were able to learn how to read, write and speak English.
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Life's a B, ain't it? I can't
    May 6, 2012 8:13 pm
    tell you how many times I've complained about my tax dollars going to projects or to support services for which I have absolutely no use and will only be used by some small, select segment of the community.
  • Abuse
    Jim Sanson wrote...
    Legal Spanish or Illegal Spanish
    May 6, 2012 10:03 pm
    What is Arizona doing about this?
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Your right couple that waste of tax dollars
    May 7, 2012 4:36 am
    to the 1.6 billion wasted on illegal aliens, and we can see why there isn't enough money for better teachers,schools,police,fire,parks,and roads.
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Steve wrote...
    We've seen how this Government
    May 7, 2012 5:23 am
    operates when it comes to "civil rights violations." Quite sad really.
  • Abuse
    Steve wrote...
    We've created our own problems
    May 7, 2012 5:24 am
    and this is just a sliver of it.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    You are the one who thinks protecting
    May 7, 2012 5:47 am
    civil rights Is a waste of money, not I.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    The wrongheaded assumption that
    May 7, 2012 6:37 am
    every monolingual Spanish speaker must be here illegally and must be abusing public assistance is a clear indication of support for illegal profiling.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    The legal Spanish speakers
    May 7, 2012 7:03 am
    Are the ones I'm talking about. They don't pay the full amount for their use of Spanish translations so the rest of us have to pay for them. Instead of spending that tax money on teachers,police,fire,parks and roads we are paying for Spanish material... Where is the Italian.Russian.Chinese speakers? oh that's right they were able to learn English
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    jsco22 wrote...
    Hey Micho
    May 7, 2012 10:45 am
    Are you aware of the tax loophole that illegal immigrants have been using? Even without a SSN, illegals can file tax returns and claim their children and other relatives that live in Mexico and get a refund often over $10K and it has cost legal tax paying citizens 4.2 billion a year for this. So you should add this negative dollar amount to your list of taxes paid by illegals.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    You are mistaken in your belief that every
    May 7, 2012 3:07 pm
    Spanish speaker is an illegal immigrant. That sort of thinking is what leads to illegal profiling and civil rights violations.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    The Superior Court employs the services
    May 7, 2012 3:12 pm
    of something like 45 plus foreign language speakers. It turns out to be a legal requirement. Don't like it? Move to a country where equal rights under the law do not exist.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Paying for Spanish language materials
    May 7, 2012 3:16 pm
    and services is chicken feed compared to the hundreds of millions that county residents were taxed so that the idiot Chase Field could be built to serve baseball's corporate interests and the small potion of the public that likes to see grown men playing kids games.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Like I said now
    May 7, 2012 3:52 pm
    add in the costs of illegal aliens to a tune of 1.6 BILLION . I don't think I should have to pay for those unwilling or unable to learn English, that should be on their dime..They have the freedom to speak whatever language they want but the tax payers shouldn't have to pay for them.
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Dodge
    May 7, 2012 3:53 pm
    and duck right Abo.
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Sidestepping the piles of pupu you
    May 7, 2012 4:04 pm
    two leave on the floor.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Life's a B, ain't it? I can't
    May 7, 2012 4:05 pm
    tell you how many times I've complained about my tax dollars going to projects or to support services for which I have absolutely no use and will only be used by some small, select segment of the community.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Its not the tax payers fault
    May 8, 2012 4:40 am
    these people are not as smart as their European counterparts that were able to learn English. Why should they dumb down America at our expence..
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    $1.6 Billion spent by Arizona
    May 8, 2012 4:42 am
    tax payers on Illegal aliens, what a waste of money that could go for important purposes, like schools, Police,Fire, roads and parks instead it's wasted on these criminals.
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    jsco22 wrote...
    No micho
    May 8, 2012 7:35 am
    I am not mistaken, I know there are many Spanish speakers in this country that come here because they love this country and they want to become legal citizens of this country. But I do love how you try to change the subject from the tax loophole illegals have been using to profiling and civil rights violation. And you are completely wrong as usual. And as usual, you deny fact that the left doesn't speak about. Your closed mindedness continues to amaze me.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    There's lots of countries around
    May 8, 2012 7:36 am
    the world where equal protection of the laws are not a national value. You would find them very hospitable.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Like I said
    May 8, 2012 8:02 am
    most real immigrants from European decent are just smarter.
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    The article discusses the alleged violation
    May 8, 2012 8:22 am
    of the civil rights of Spanish speaking attendees at TUSD public meetings. You equate this equal protection of the law issue with illegal immigrants using tax loopholes. That is your mind telling everyone else that Spanish speakers are one and the same as illegal immigrants. Otherwise, you would have made the distinction clear in your first post. You Hispanic haters are none too clever.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Spoken like a true Hispanic hater.
    May 8, 2012 8:24 am
    Very Third Reichish.
  • Abuse
    jsco22 wrote...
    Oh so
    May 8, 2012 9:33 am
    It's ok for my friend to demand his native tongue (French) be spoken and paid for by tax paying citizens? And that would be a civil rights issue too? Oh wait, he learned the language and doesn't need to force tax payers to pay for a translator so he can participate. How silly that is. I'm not a Hispanic hater, I'm a legal immigrant supporter. I'm sorry your racism runs so deep that you have to make it about racism when I've always supported all legal immigrants.
  • Abuse
    jsco22 wrote...
    This is such a repeat of
    May 8, 2012 9:38 am
    conversations, I'm gonna move onto the next topic you are wrong on here, back to the homepage.
  • Abuse
    jsco22 wrote...
    Actually
    May 8, 2012 9:43 am
    That's not very third reichish at all seeing that their superior human was blue eyed and blonde hair. Minuteman brought all Europeans together in one group, didn't racially divide anyone at all. We save the racial division to you Micho.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Tata!
    May 8, 2012 9:47 am
    .
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Among the reasons a sensible school board
    May 8, 2012 9:51 am
    would choose to make non-English language materials and services available to the non-English speaking parents of its students would be cost effectiveness, efficiency and desired educational outcomes. It is a well established fact that students perform better in school, including learning the English language, if their parents are engaged in the educational process. Having those parents participate in the life of the school, including encouraging them to prompt their children to learn English quickly, is a sensible investment of tax dollars.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Very Third Reichish.
    May 8, 2012 9:58 am
    .
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Truth hurts
    May 8, 2012 10:25 am
    Doesn't it. That's why there is only press 1 for English 2 for Spanish all other Immigrants Europe were smart enough to learn English.
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Btw
    May 8, 2012 12:39 pm
    Where is Spain?
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    The truth is quite reassuring.
    May 8, 2012 1:34 pm
    "In fact, immigrants today are learning English faster than the larger waves of immigrants who came to the United States during the turn of the last century...During their first 20 years in the United Sates, the more recent arrivals, including those from Spanish-dominant countries, also learned English faster than immigrants from the first two decades of the 20th century." http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/integration-Jimenez.pdf
  • Abuse
    gilbert armenta wrote...
    proof
    May 8, 2012 1:43 pm
    and does it take into account taxes collected? If someone is being taxed they should be able to speak about hwo it's being spent.
  • Abuse
    gilbert armenta wrote...
    Truth Stings
    May 8, 2012 1:56 pm
    Excellent link.
  • Abuse
    gilbert armenta wrote...
    what does
    May 8, 2012 2:02 pm
    language have to do with race? It's comments like these that pretty much outline your views and your ignorance. HISPANIC is not a race. And if your friend wants french spoken he should come together with like minded citizens to demand his voice be heard; just like our forefathers did. DOn't worry while you forget your past hispanics will continue to keep the american tradition alive.
  • Abuse
    Patriot wrote...
    Yes
    May 8, 2012 4:20 pm
    and they aren't the majority paying the taxes either. Perhaps the majority would like something to say about it.
    **ICE Tip-line 1-866-DHS-2ICE**
  • Abuse
    Patriot wrote...
    This is one of the main reasons we have
    May 8, 2012 4:22 pm
    a problem with illegal aliens. Maybe the BP can come up with the same conclusion in a few years.
    **ICE Tip-line 1-866-DHS-2ICE**
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Google it.
    May 8, 2012 4:23 pm
    .
  • Abuse
    Patriot wrote...
    You need to correct yourself
    May 8, 2012 4:23 pm
    regarding baseball. It's not a small portion of the public my friend and that goes for the majority of professional sports in the State minus Hockey.
    **ICE Tip-line 1-866-DHS-2ICE**
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    You sound like British Royalty decrying
    May 8, 2012 4:42 pm
    the complaints of the minority American colonists. "Why should the minority have anything to say about what happens to them or their tax dollars," you declare.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    The point is the French that
    May 8, 2012 5:03 pm
    "immigrated" to America wanted to be American and were able to learn English, some are not smart enough to learn how to read,write or speak English as this article points out
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Nice article except it says
    May 8, 2012 5:14 pm
    "immigrants" meaning they want to be United States citizens, meaning assimilation into American culture, like speaking English. Secondly early 20th century "immigrants" paid for their own education when learning English these new immigrants get free everything from the tax paying public and finally the proof is in the press 1 for English 2 for Spanish, funny there are no other numbers past 2. P.S. Voting material is automatically written in English and Spanish, thank goodness everyone else was smart enough to learn english, written by Tomas Jimenez is about as factual as "record deportations"
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Europe
    May 8, 2012 5:16 pm
    oh thats right, several countries in Europe that have nothing to do with Nazi Germany, including Germany...Dim Wit
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    No mention in the article that the Spanish
    May 8, 2012 5:30 pm
    speakers are incapable of learning English. That is your bigoted belief at work.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Interesting point of view. Applying the principle
    May 8, 2012 5:33 pm
    that you use, we can assume that anyone without an hispanic surname can not be believed if they are commenting or presenting their report in opposition to things hispanic. No, that's way to wacky for me.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    So the continuing
    May 8, 2012 5:37 pm
    pressing 1 for English and 2 for Spanish sure spells it out, How about Voting material being printed in Spanish. It fact not bigoted at all, when you have nothing to combat the facts you always resort to race baiting..
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    No, in fact hispanic "immigrants"
    May 8, 2012 5:40 pm
    learn English at the same rate as Italians, however thats assuming that they are in fact "immigrants" that want to become Americans..Big difference, those I welcome
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    No, actually
    May 8, 2012 5:43 pm
    hispanic "immigrants" learn English at the same level as Italians, the difference is that Hispanic "immigrants' want to become Americans..Big difference between mexican flag wavers and Mexican Immigrants wanting to become American.
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Sales, income and property taxes,
    May 8, 2012 5:44 pm
    as well as fees paid by Spanish speakers contribute towards the operation of governments at all levels, including school boards. Spanish speakers share the same civil rights protections as do non Spanish speakers. Some intolerant Americans believe that Spanish speakers should not have their rights protected. A very unpatriotic view. Bummer for bigots as the laws of our land protect the civil rights of those that they despise.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Doesn't pay for their
    May 8, 2012 5:48 pm
    services used, not even close. Shooting guns is a freedom also when do I get free guns and bullets
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    They may be taxpaying, hispanic immigrants
    May 8, 2012 5:50 pm
    who do not want to become American citizens, but who want their children to learn English and who want to participate in the educational process. The may request and receive some services and materials in Spanish by forward thinking school districts who see the benefit of including them.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    I'm not bothered. I know for a fact, that your
    May 8, 2012 5:53 pm
    gasoline taxes don't even come close to paying for the roads that you use, but you still use them. Gun shooting, BTW, is a personal option. Grade school level education is compulsory.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Chossing not the speak
    May 8, 2012 5:56 pm
    English is a choice also, and thats my point. It their right not to speak English but pay your own way just like I do with my freedom to bear arms.
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Edit
    May 8, 2012 5:57 pm
    choosing not to speak
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Isnt that special
    May 8, 2012 5:58 pm
    I want free bullets! The difference is I pay for my freedom
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    Such nonsense. If you went to
    May 8, 2012 6:02 pm
    Iraq tomorrow, and residents there demanded that you immediately begin speaking Urdu, you would not be able to do it. It is only a choice if one knows the language and chooses not to speak it.
  • Abuse
    Michoacan wrote...
    No, it's the law. The State of Arizona
    May 8, 2012 6:06 pm
    will not come after you if you decide not to shoot your guns. The State of Arizona will come after these parents if they neglect to attend to their education. A clear difference that seems to elude you.
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Demanding to do
    May 8, 2012 6:08 pm
    something tomorrow is unrealistic, living here long enough to have kids enrolled in schools all the way up to high schools is ridiculous
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Both freedoms and
    May 8, 2012 6:10 pm
    choices. The kids are not the issue the parents attending the meetings wanting special treatment are..
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    gilbert armenta wrote...
    Do me a favor...
    May 9, 2012 9:30 am
    Take a screen print of these words and place them in a zip lock bag. Meet me here in 10-20 years and we can re-visit your advocacy of majority rule. (FYI the zip lock is to keep your words fresh for when you have to eat them.)
  • Abuse
    gilbert armenta wrote...
    that's called free market
    May 9, 2012 9:31 am
    Companies realized they could make more money by catering to those they serve. Are you now a communist too?
  • Abuse
    gilbert armenta wrote...
    I was thinking the same thing
    May 9, 2012 9:33 am
    about the last few wars we were in. Sadly my children's children's children will still be paying for those. I guess those are the prices we pay to live in a civilized world.
  • Abuse
    gilbert armenta wrote...
    lol wow ok
    May 9, 2012 9:48 am
    so of the several million you're saying a larger portion of those go to games? Perhaps have BEEN to a game, but for the "regulars" i'm guessing it's a small portion of the population
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Off
    May 9, 2012 2:34 pm
    subject as usual
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    If your right Gilbert
    May 9, 2012 6:37 pm
    god help us...Look at Mexico..
    Protect our borders and our communities
  • Abuse
    Minuteman wrote...
    Acts of
    May 10, 2012 1:09 pm
    congress versus people making a choice and demanding everyone pay for their ignorance. Once again big difference.
    Protect our borders and our communities

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