Hispanic pros to assist ESL students

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Parents address school assemblies

Dillard Drive Middle School parents Thursday got their first chance to air concerns with Wake school leaders over separate assemblies that were held for black and Hispanic students after a December confrontation at the school.

In December, after a heated argument between two seventh-grade girls, one black and the other Hispanic, principal Teresa Abron called black and Hispanic students into separate assemblies. White students were not called to either assembly.

Parents and members of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now have protested and demanded an apology from Abron and diversity training for all faculty and staff at Dillard.

Black leaders backing year-round schools

Several Wake County black elected officials, clergy and civic leaders will hold a news conference Monday urging parents to return consent forms saying they'll stay at year-round schools this fall.

Event organizers say they're trying to rally support for the school board's efforts "to deal with the issues of growth and diversity in all schools." The existing year-round schools and those being converted have low-income students assigned to them, often black and Hispanic, to promote diversity.

To comply with a judge's order that students can't be required to attend year-round schools without parental consent, school officials will assume that families who don't return forms want to leave for a traditional-calendar school.

School reduces racial tensions

A mediation session between Hispanic students and the white students who were bullying them at Cedar Ridge High School has helped ease tension between the groups, the mother of one of the bullied children says.

"I think this worked," said Suyapa Santos.

Earlier this month, some white students threatened some Hispanic students in the cafeteria, in the hallway, on the bus and at one student's house, Santos told The News & Observer for an earlier article.

Hispanic students bullied at school

School officials are bringing in a mediator today to resolve tension between small groups of white and Hispanic students at Cedar Ridge High School.

The mediation session follows incidents that have left at least one Hispanic student feeling unsafe, the girl's mother said.

Earlier this month, some white students threatened some Hispanic students in the cafeteria, in the hallway, on the bus and at one student's house, said Suyapa Santos, a parent who is worried about her child's safety in the school.

Hispanics embrace growing clout

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- With shouts of "Arriba!", whistles and thunderous applause, Los Angeles mayoral candidate Antonio Villaraigosa was greeted like a conquering hero at a gathering of Hispanic officials.

Though Villaraigosa lost the race, Hispanic officials, buoyed by census data showing their growing numbers, believe that victory -- and greater political power -- is inevitable.

This year, census findings showed there were 35.3 million Hispanics in 2000, or about 12.5 percent of the U.S. population. Hispanics rival blacks, who number between 33.9 million and 35.4 million, as the country's largest minority group.