I-Team uncovers emails in alleged discrimination incident at La Quinta Library
News Channel 3’s I-Team has uncovered new details in the alleged discrimination against Cesar Chavez Elementary School students who went to the La Quinta Library to perform traditional Mexican dances.
As we reported, on September 15, the teacher was told by library staff to fly the Mexican flag and in the future “would have to change their songs and dances to a more Patriotic, more American performance.”
It’s still not clear who asked for American flags to be carried during the performance of Mexican songs.
According to Coachella Valley Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Edwin Gomez, library staff said the reason for this was to comply with city policy for performances at the library.
La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans adamantly denied that her office made any changes to the event. County Supervisor Manny Perez said the county is digging deeper into the incident.
I-Team Investigator Karen Devine obtained emails between city officials, library staff and the teacher. Those emails show the students were caught in the middle of a “misunderstanding.”
In early September, a La Quinta employee reached out to library staff to ask that an event advertised as “Mexican Independence Day” program be renamed to “Hispanic Heritage Celebration” in order to be more inclusive and “not be specific to Mexican Independence Day” like the previous year’s very successful event.
A La Quinta employee told the teacher of the change who replied: “that sounds cool.” Expanding in her message that “all 26 Hispanic-American nations all celebrate their independence from June to October.”
When the day of the event came, however, somehow, the children carried American flags, some of those possibly provided by the library. A student’s planned speech about Mexican Independence Day was omitted and the group was told they weren’t sure they would be invited back next year.
A facilitator wasn’t clear if the event, which reportedly attracted 350 people, would even be repeated.
Throughout the emails, there is concern over the situation and that the intentions were to be inclusive. Officials hoped that it doesn’t “reflect poorly on the library and the city.”
We have requested more information and sent an email to the teacher involved to clarify her role in the matter and if the program is on the schedule for next year.
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Noticias en español: Telemundo 15
