Black student union may result in lawsuit
By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
Students and parents have been talking with McKeesport Area School District administrators since January about creating a black student union in the district, but controversy has arisen surrounding the group’s formation.
The American Civil Liberties Union sent the district a letter March 19 stating that legal action will be taken if a black student union is not formed by today.
In the letter and a phone interview Thursday, Vic Walczak, legal director for the ACLU of Pennsylvania, alleges that Superintendent Dr. Mark Holtzman and the district are “pushing back” against a black student union and are violating the U.S. Equal Access Act, which requires federally funded secondary schools that permit meetings of any non-curriculum-related student groups to provide equal access to all students wishing to form such groups.
At each school board meeting since February, the group’s proposal has been discussed in conversations among parents, a single student and Holtzman.
To read the rest of this story, please see a copy of Friday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at https://e.monvalleyindependent.com.
