ESCONDIDO, Calif. (CNS) – A Southern California preschool has agreed to pay $200,000 to settle allegations that it implemented an “English-only” policy at two of its locations — including one in Escondido — and retaliated against a Spanish-speaking teacher’s aide, it was announced Thursday.
The settlement involving preschool Leaps and Bounds was announced by the California Civil Rights Department, a state agency charged with enforcing California civil rights laws, including those related to employment discrimination.
Along with the monetary terms — which includes $35,000 for the aide who filed a complaint with the Civil Rights Department — Leaps and Bounds has agreed to end any and all English-only policies and implement employee training on state civil rights laws. The Civil Rights Department alleges the English- only policy was implemented at Leaps and Bounds’ locations in Escondido and Fontana.
The aide — who worked at the Fontana location — alleged in her complaint that staff and management forbid her from speaking Spanish at work.