By Jon Winkler
A vote to form a Latino Parents Committee that some expected at Tuesday night’s Springs School Board of Education meeting did not take place, but instead the meeting became a platform for several residents to continue to speak out about what they say is the lack of connection between the school board and the Latino community of Springs.
Resident Tatiana Tucci asked the board if there would be the appointment of a bilingual clerk to help bilingual parents register their children for the upcoming school year. Keri DeLalio, the Board’s director of human resources and pupil & personnel services, said that there were bilingual volunteers working with the clerks to help make the enrollment process easier.
“A lot of times we hear that the Latino community doesn’t get involved because we don’t care or we don’t listen,” Ms. Tucci said. “We do care and we want to be informed! But most of the time we don’t feel welcome.”
Also present at the meeting was Minerva Perez, executive director of the Organización Latino-Americana of Eastern Long Island, who said she hoped to participate in a vote on the creation of the Latino Parents Committee. The organization posted on its Facebook earlier this week that a vote was to take place, but it was not on the agenda. Ms. Perez still took the time to address the board about the need for leadership within the board to connect with the Latino community. She said that the school board must blaze a path for Hispanic leadership within the school district.
The last to speak at the meeting was Chris Tucci, who is married to Ms. Tucci.
“The number of people on staff of Spring School who help Latinos are few and far between,” Mr. Tucci said.
The next Springs School Board of Education meeting will be on August 29.