The CRLA Delano office offers an exciting opportunity to address educational equity issues in rural California, where racial disparities in school discipline and suspension are amongst the highest in the state. The Delano office’s education work includes filing litigation designed to accomplish systemic change as well as providing direct services to students and parents in its priority areas of: school discipline, discrimination and harassment, bullying, and cases centering on LGBT student issues.
The office recently entered into a settlement agreement with the Kern High School District which requires comprehensive implementation of alternative discipline practices, the hiring of nationally renowned experts on racial equity in schools and positive behavior intervention and supports, a commitment to hiring racially and ethnically diverse staff, uniformity in policies and procedures at each school site, a parity review of continuation schools, and implicit bias training for all school staff.
As the result of its successes, the Delano office has received additional grant funding to add a new staff attorney focused solely on education work. The office is currently working with local partners to engage in in targeted advocacy efforts in other Central Valley school districts in order to address discriminatory and illegal practices around discipline, policing, school funding, and the use of alternative schools. The Delano office also partners with CRLA’s LGBT program to address discrimination against LGBT students.
In addition to its significant cutting-edge education work, the Delano office handles a good variety of housing, employment, and public benefit issues. The office is actively involved in litigation involving sexual harassment and discrimination against an employee and former resident of a mobilehome park. Delano staff frequently represent tenants in subsidized housing maintain their subsidies and tenancies. The office also handles low-wage worker wage theft and unemployment claims. Last, the office is involved with ensuring language access in a variety of areas.
The Delano Directing Attorney supervises two staff attorneys, two community workers, and an administrative legal secretary. A moving stipend is available for a qualified candidate who will be relocating to the Delano/Bakersfield area.
