A Southern California preschool has agreed to pay $200,000 to settle allegations that it implemented an "English-only" policy at two of its locations — including one in Escondido — and retaliated against a Spanish-speaking teacher's aide, it was announced Thursday.
The settlement involving preschool Leaps and Bounds was announced by the California Civil Rights Department, a state agency charged with enforcing California civil rights laws, including those related to employment discrimination.
Along with the monetary terms — which include $35,000 for the aide who filed a complaint with the Civil Rights Department — Leaps and Bounds has agreed to end any and all English-only policies and implement employee training on state civil rights laws. The Civil Rights Department alleges the English-only policy was implemented at Leaps and Bounds' locations in Escondido and Fontana.
The aide — who worked at the Fontana location — alleged in her complaint that she was forbidden by staff and management from speaking Spanish at work.
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After a coworker overheard her speaking Spanish, the aide was accused of gossiping in the workplace.
Management later responded by having her sign an agreement to never speak Spanish unless she needed to speak with a parent who didn't know English, according to her complaint. Her hours were later severely reduced, and the Civil Rights Department said the aide felt discriminated against due to her cultural background and felt forced to quit.
"Educators deserve to feel celebrated for their heritage, but instead Leaps and Bounds' alleged language ban fostered a hostile work culture that made staff feel unvalued and unwelcome," Civil Rights Department director Kevin Kish said in a statement released Thursday. "By taking action to end this discriminatory policy, the school is showing it's possible to change course and build a culture of inclusion that benefits staff and the communities they serve. No matter the language you speak or where you come from, you are welcome in California."
