Parent alleges students get unfair treatment

Danette Goulet

COSTA MESA - A TeWinkle Middle School parent has filed complaints with

the state alleging that schools in the district are sabotaging Latino

students’ educations.

Mirna Buricaga of Costa Mesa filed a document with the California

Department of Education with 10 bullet points outlining the Newport-Mesa

Unified School District’s shortcomings, including one which begins,

“Students at all sites are often placed on a track for failure.”

TeWinkle Principal Sharon Fry, whose school was the main target in the

complaint, said Buricaga’s allegations are just not true.

“The complaint is that we are not servicing children, and that is

absolutely wrong,” Fry said.

Buricaga said English-language learners at TeWinkle are not getting

the education they are entitled to by law.

“The complaint is about English as a Second Language students not

receiving the core curriculum classes,” she said. “They are supposed to

follow standards. They have to be exposed to math, science and English.”

While not all English learners are taking science classes, Fry said,

those students are taking two language development classes, social

studies, math, physical education and an elective class such as art or

music.

“Science has a very specific language: mitosis, cell membrane,” she

said. “You’ve got to work with where they are.”

The students take an elective because it offers those who may have

trouble in other subjects because of the language barrier to have a place

to shine, she added.

Buricaga asserts that the law is being broken.

The state, which sent the complaint to the district, is investigating

the charges.

Buricaga also complained that students are put into mainstream classes

before they are ready and without parental consent.

Fry denied the charge.

“Many students are put into mainstream [classes] because their skill

level was beyond that of the English as a Second Language class,” Fry

said. “The state does not say you can’t put a child in mainstream

classes. We do that when we think that’s the best level for a child to be

in. If, for example, a student is doing well in a sheltered class, we may

move them to a mainstream [class] with support.”

Buricaga’s complaints don’t stop with the students.

She also alleges that TeWinkle’s administration and PTA group cut

Latino parents out of the loop and keep them from having a voice at the

school.

“We are bending over backward to reach Hispanics,” said Jill Money,

TeWinkle’s PTA president.

The last PTA meeting, Money said, was held at Wilson Elementary School

for the benefit of parents in the area who lack means of transportation.

The entire meeting also was translated into Spanish, she added.

“Next week’s [meeting] is at Rea Elementary School, again with Spanish

translation,” she said. “So, I’d say we’re making a real effort to reach

out to all parents.”

The complaints also allege that newsletters and informational fliers

are routinely sent out without translation.

Both Money and Fry said that although they are not required to

translate notices, the majority of all mailings are translated.