O.C.R. Threatens Oakland With Cutoff in Federal Funding

By Lynn Schnaiberg

The U.S. Education Department's office for civil rights has threatened to cut off federal funds to the Oakland, Calif., public schools if the district does not come up with a plan to adequately serve limited-English-proficient students.

In a recent letter to Superintendent Richard P. Mesa, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Norma V. Cantu cited the district's "well-documented, 17-year record of failure to fulfill its obligation to language-minority students.''

Many L.E.P. students are said to receive English instruction from unqualified teachers or not to receive it at all. Teachers and parents have also charged that the district retaliated against them for advocating...