Newark parents push for independent interpreters after superintendent summarizes Spanish testimony

Parents and labor advocates in Newark are demanding the school district adopt professional interpreters for all board meetings after alleging Spanish-speaking parents were not fully understood during a recent session. Rafael Chavez, a community organizer with New Labor, claims Superintendent Roger León provided incomplete interpretations of some parents' Spanish-language statements, omitting critical criticisms of their treatment in district schools.

León, who translated the testimony into English, focused on the positive aspects but did not provide a direct, word-for-word translation. Sonia Pangul, Mayra Sanmartin, and Brenda Villatoro Villela shared concerns about their children's education and the lack of programs like music, sports, and art. León's summary did not include their full requests for additional social workers and funding.

Chavez argues that this selective interpretation constitutes censorship and a conflict of interest, as the superintendent is both a board member and the decision-maker on what is heard. The district has previously faced criticism for its English language learner program, which was ended by the Trump administration in 2025 after failing to consistently use qualified interpreters.

New Jersey law and federal civil rights regulations require adequate language services for limited English proficient parents, but these policies do not mandate interpreters for public comments at meetings. Newark is known for its large population of non-native English speakers, and other districts, including Chicago, Houston, and Tulsa, already have policies in place to address this issue.