County investigating accusations of discrimination at La Quinta library
Riverside County officials are now investigating accusations of discrimination after the Coachella Valley Unified School District claims the City of La Quinta told students to stop using Hispanic cultural references during a dance performance at the La Quinta Library back in September.
In a letter written to La Quinta officials, CVUSD Superintendent Edwin Gomez said the dance teacher was told by library staff that her students were not allowed to fly the Mexican flag and in the future “would have to change their songs and dances to a more Patriotic, more American performance.” The person who spoke to the teacher suggested they sing “Yankee Doodle” instead of more traditional Mexican songs.
In the letter, Gomez says staff told the teacher the reason for this was to comply with city policy for performances at the library.
Watch: The same class was our ‘One Class at a Time’ award recipient last December
The City of La Quinta didn’t deny the incident happened but firmly denied involvement. La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans told KESQ & CBS Local 2 at a news conference yesterday CVUSD’s claims the city was behind the alleged act of discrimination is “BS.”
Evans added that library services in La Quinta are provided by Riverside County via a memorandum of understanding.
Riverside County said in a statement released Tuesday they working to a organize a meeting with ‘all agencies’ involved in the incident.
Today, County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez spoke about the county’s investigation into the incident.
“We’re currently, as a county, having our own investigation, but with that said, I’m actually asking the different entities to come to my office, let’s have a discussion,” Perez told KESQ & CBS Local 2.
Gomez said the incident happened on September 15, the eve of Mexican Independence Day and the reason the students were performing. However, in a response letter by La Quinta City Manager Frank J. Spevacek, “intended to be inclusive of the many peoples and cultures of Hispanic heritage,” and that the city’s goal was not to have an event, “focused on any one nation’s independence or culture.”
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