Hispanic group claims school's language policy discriminatory

[Harold F. Schiffman]

>>From the Ledger-Enquirer, Atlanta
 Posted on Wed, Apr. 12, 2006

Hispanic group claims school's language policy discriminatory

GREG BLUESTEIN
Associated Press

ATLANTA - A Hispanic advocacy group is claiming that Atlanta's Oglethorpe
University discriminated against Latino workers by requiring that
employees speak only English to supervisors and colleagues. The alleged
policy targeted three Spanish-speaking housekeepers, according to a motion
filed Wednesday by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational
Fund. "We allege the housekeepers had been satisfactorily performing their
job without a need to speak proficient English," said Tisha Tallman, a
lawyer with the organization. "We need to take a closer look at that
policy."

The private school, which has roughly 1,000 students, argues it never had
such a requirement. "We absolutely never had that policy. There was a sort
of practice that said our staff needs to be able to communicate in
English. And I think that policy is probably a legal one to have," said
Larry Schall, a former civil rights attorney who became president of the
school last summer. "But I'm a firm believer in civil rights of employees
and the value of having employees of a diverse background that I wouldn't
think of trying to implement that." The organization's motion seeks to
join a lawsuit lodged against the school last month by the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission. It accuses the school of requiring the
housekeepers to learn English in 60 days or risk termination and to speak
and understand some English to keep their positions.

"There are more and more individuals entering the work force who may not
be proficient in English. As they increase in the work force, we sometimes
see the rise of workplace policies that might interfere with their ability
to maintain their jobs," Tallman said.

Oglethorpe University: http://www.oglethorpe.edu/

MALDEF: http://www.maldef.org/
http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgerenquirer/news/local/14327464.htm

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			  Harold F. Schiffman

		Professor of Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
			Dept. of South Asia Studies
			805 Williams Hall Box 6305

			University of Pennsylvania
			Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

       			Phone:  (215) 898-5825
			Fax:  (215) 573-2138

			Email:  haroldfs at ccat.sas.upenn.edu
			http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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