DALLAS -- A federal judge has ordered a school principal to pay thousands to kids who were the victim of segregation. The judge ruled that the educator segregated children by assigning some English-speaking Hispanic youngsters to English as a Second Language classes.
A lawsuit accused Preston Hollow Elementary School Principal Teresa Parker of assigning Latino children to ESL classes based on their race, rather than their language proficiency.
U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsay found Parker created classes and hallways that were divided based on ethnicity.
The judge also ruled the Dallas Independent School District, its board and Superintendent Michael Hinojosa are not liable. Some Latino parents sued in April.
Judge Sam A. Lindsay ruled that the Dallas Independent School District, its board and its superintendent were not liable in the lawsuit and ruled that Parker must pay $10,000 in punitive damages and $100 to each of the two students cited in the suit.
Lindsay said Parker must stop placing students in programs based on their national origin or ethnicity and must integrate non-core classes. Parker and DISD couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
The suit was filed on behalf of parents by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. Lindsay gave Parker until Jan. 17 to integrate classes and to stop placing students in ESL classes based on their ethnicity.
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What will happen next?
DISD will be forced to retire the principal, Teresa Parker.
The original plaintiffs and their legal counsel MALDEF will rebuff any and all changes made to the classroom makeup at Preston Hollow. Why you ask? Simple, Judge Lindsay did not find DISD guilty. Judge Lindsay only awarded actual and punitive damages to plaintiff Santamaria. OFE and its President, Ana Gonzalez recieved no monetary compensation. MALDEF did not get their fees paid by the loser as customary in federal cases. Each side is liable for their own cost of litigation. Guess what? MALDEF is pissed off. No big pay day. MALDEF and the plaintiffs will be back, no doubt claiming that Teresa Parker and DISD are in violation of Judge Lindsay's order on January 18th, the day after the deadline. This time MALDEF will argue for additional sanctions, monetary damages, and attorney fees. So the court room battle for Preston Hollow will continue.
And who are the real winners and losers? There are no winners, only the kids are the losers. None, not the Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Anglos.
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