Trenton leaders, teachers union slam school district's 'segregation' plan for ELL students

TRENTON — The city’s teachers union railed against the school district’s plan to house certain English Language Learners at another campus, calling it “modern-day segregation” and warning it could lead to racial discord in New Jersey’s capital.

The Trenton Education Association said at a news conference Monday afternoon it planned to challenge the school district in state court, expecting the Board of Education to approve a proposal at Monday night’s meeting creating another academy dedicated to helping more than 400 recently arrived English Language Learners. The board ended up approving the proposal at Monday night's meeting with only three members voting against it.

The Trenton Global Academy students, in grades 9 through 12, would be housed at Trenton Central High School’s west campus.

Citing the implications of the anti-segregation decision Hedgepeth and Williams vs. Trenton Board of Education that was cited in the landmark U.S Supreme Court decision Brown vs. Board of Education, city officials, the teachers union and other students gathered inside the BOE building to urge the board to “pump the brakes” on the proposal.

Read more: https://www.trentonian.com/news/trenton-leaders-teachers-union-slam-school-district-s-segregation-plan/article_6d964e3c-5fe0-11e9-ba80-d36368efb116.html