Language barrier: Immigrant parents tell tales of exclusion

By CLAUDIA LAUER and VANESSA A. ALVAREZ
The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Immigrant parents from across Philadelphia are telling stories of students being used as translators, incorrect telephone translations or poor communication when their children were being bullied. They say they’ve long been excluded from parts of their children’s education because of language barriers, and the pandemic and return to in-person school exacerbate the problem. School officials say they’ve made a lot of progress, hiring dozens of new interpreters, and issuing guidance to staff to reinforce policies to never use students as translators. But critics say more is needed and it may be time for a full review to make sure the federally mandated language requirements are being met.