By Gabriel Pilonieta-Blanco
El Tiempo Hispano

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE — Ayala is a simple man who without his uniform might go unnoticed, but the reality is that his work as a police officer has led him to take the second most important position at police headquarters in the city of Wilmington, making history as the Hispanic that has gone farther in all state law enforcement agencies within Delaware.

As Research Operations Inspector, he is responsible for the Criminal Investigation Division, the Drug, Organized Crime and Vice Division, the Office of Professional Standards and the Human Resource Division. As of January 4th, his workload increased exponentially. His schedule is theoretically 9-5 but he arrives at his office at 7 and leaves after 7 pm.

“The work has doubled. We have to take into account that we have a new mayor, a new boss and a new physical address”, he says smiling.

As a young man, he studied and graduated as a chemist in Puerto Rico, but when he got to Delaware, a career as a police officer caught his attention and he wanted to try. He remembers that as a patrolman he had an experience that led him to discover his true calling.

“I had to revive a baby about 3 months old with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and when I saw him back to life, I realized, this is what I want to do in life: to help people,” he says.

During his 31 years of experience, Ayala has realized that one of the internal problems they have is communications.

“The decisions made at a high level do not filter well to the police officers who are patrolling the streets. That is why we are looking for better ways for them to understand why we are making decisions. We want the street work to be more effective, especially in areas that we know have always been problematic and we have not been able to resolve properly.” For this, they will use all available technologies and resources to better fight crime in the city.

Among his plans are, for example, making the penalties tougher, having more expensive fines, more jail time for criminals, more expensive bonds. “I think now the courts understand that if we do not stop this problem, it will get worse.”

Personally, Ayala says he feels sorry to see that Wilmington and many cities in the United States are experiencing the same situation with regard to crime.

“It is a social thing that happens in the family, parenting is not the same, people do not fear prison, it is a small percentage who commits crimes, but they are arrested and then get out, so it is very difficult as is.”

There is also the fact that, of the people in the city, 80% are renters, and therefore their interest in the community is less.

Hence, Ayala thinks without the participation of the community, it is very difficult to succeed in this task and has implemented a resource for anyone who can record a crime to report it anonymously to the police. It is “Shared Vision”, a program to compile a database from the private security cameras that could capture images not otherwise accessible to the investigators of a crime.

And so he invites all those business owners who have installed home video cameras or security systems to enroll in the Shared Vision Program through the website www.wilmington.gov/residents/sharevision. Police promise that all information will remain confidential, i.e. the owner of the camera does not have to go to testify in court or anything like that.

The interesting thing is that almost everyone has a camera on their cell phone and nobody has to sit idly by but instead send a recording of a crime of which the person can be a silent witness. Ayala insists that the police cannot work without the help of the community.

Another important issue for Ayala is what to do with those who are released from prison…

Finish reading: Victor Ayala, Making History

By Gabriel Pilonieta-Blanco
El Tiempo Hispano

A controversial decision of the Superior Court of Delaware provides that a worker, although being deported, does not lose the right to compensation

In October 2012, the Superior Court Judge of Delaware, Jerome O. Herlihy, ruled in the case of Saúl Melgar Ramírez, 47, who had been deported to Honduras, that he is entitled to receive compensation for an accident that occurred while working for a property preservation and maintenance company.

This resolution is explained by attorney Janyd Torres in this conversation with El Tiempo Hispano.

Janyd is a young lawyer who graduated in Puerto Rico in 2010 and has passed the bar exam to practice in Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She works in the firm of Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz & Bhaya, which has offices throughout the state.

Torres explained that the importance of this decision is that if a worker, whether he/she gave false information about his/her name and social security number or even if he/she has been deported for being in the country illegally, has an accident while at work, is still entitled to compensation including payment of lost wages and medical expenses.

“This court decision has been a great achievement for Hispanic workers because it means they will not lose their rights for having used false identification or are been deported.” The measure, continues the attorney, is also important because in most cases undocumented workers think they have no rights, and now it has been established that, at the time they are hired, they also acquired the contract rights involved.

“One way in which the worker may lose benefits, is if he/she provided false information about their health condition, so the employer based its decision to hire the individual on that information and there is a connection between the false information and the later injury.”

Using false identification information has no causal connection with an injury suffered in an accident at work, therefore does not disqualify the individual from receiving or continuing receiving their workers’ compensation benefits.

The employee may lose benefits if he/she refuses to undergo a medical evaluation required by his/her employer under the Workers’ Compensation Act. This resolution determined that the fact that the employee has been deported and cannot be medically evaluated in this country is no reason for termination of benefits. In Ramírez’s case, he could be medically evaluated in his home country once deported, and therefore he did not refuse to undergo medical evaluation.

Although her specialty is bankruptcy, Torres wants the Hispanic community knows about this decision that the firm she works for obtained in October 2012.

The partners Arthur M. Krawitz and Jessica Welch successfully argued in court that an undocumented worker is entitled to receive benefits if they have an accident during while on duty regardless of their immigration status.

In short, the case considered in court was that of Saúl Melgar Ramírez, deported to Honduras and that worked for Delaware Valley Field Services, a property preservation and maintenance company to properties that have been subject to bankruptcy by the banks.

In his 29-page opinion, Judge Herlihy noted it was a “case of first impression,” meaning Delaware courts have never before ruled on issues raised in this litigation.

According to court documents, Ramírez entered the United States in November 2002 and began working for DVFS in April 2010. Initially he was paid in cash until January 2011 when he began receiving a paycheck. That same month, on the 20th, while working he fell from a ladder and had his back badly hurt.

This accident happened while his boss was present. He was taken immediately to the ER and then underwent treatment and the doctor diagnosed it as “totally disabled” and said that Ramírez would need surgery as therapy was not sufficient for recovery.

On January 31st he was told he could not come back to work and that for the insurance company to take over the payments, he needed a social security number.

Ramírez bought for $180 a fake number and handed it to his employer, who a month later, after finding out that the number was false, contacted the federal immigration authorities. This led to Ramírez being deported in March 2011.

Thereafter Ramírez testified before the Industrial Accident Board, admitting he had been in the U.S. illegally and had lied when filling out the form I-9 (verification of identity of the worker), but also said the company knew that he had no papers…

Finish reading Undocumented do not lose their rights

By Jose Sueiro
Metro Diversity.com

At first sight the young Mexican American, Martin Diego García appears to be one of those youth focused on ‘chatting’, a nerd occupied with his computer and always ‘texting’ friends and acquaintances. But look closely and you realize this man, with the baby face and librarian’s glasses, is a natural political organizer, part of that new generation of super connected young people, educated, talented and up to date on all of the topics of the day.

He is part of a second generation of Latino leaders looking to change the world or, in the case of Martin Diego, the city of Washington.

Born and raised in California of Mexican parents and having studied at the University of California in Santa Barbara, Garcia arrived in the District of Columbia barely 5 years ago and quickly made a name for himself in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community (LGBT) of this nation’s capital.

His efforts began with the LGBT Fund for Victory responsible for garnering support for gay marriage, training Gay candidates for legislatures and supporting community causes such as increased funding for the battle against AIDS.

His success was extraordinary and his interest in politics caused him to remain here. Now he works in the offices of ‘Campaign Workshop’ pushing the same progressive causes he’s been working on all his life.

During his first years in the nation’s capital he learned to affiliate himself with leaders of his community and political organizations that advance the LGBT agenda. He assisted…

Finish reading New Latino Leader for Gay DC

El Tiempo Hispano

The Delaware Leadership Project (DLP) is a new, state-approved alternate route to principal certification program for those interested in leading our state’s highest-need urban and rural schools.

DELAWARE — The 14 months of preparation that aspiring principals receive is specifically tailored to the complex challenge of leading schools that serve low-income communities, a critical component of the Delaware Department of Education’s Race to the Top initiative.

The Delaware Leadership Project (DLP) has accepted and placed six outstanding educators for its second cohort. These aspiring principals will be rigorously trained for the challenges of heading a high-need school in Delaware. Each has made a personal commitment to Delaware’s traditionally underserved students and is eager to continue the training that will prepare him or her for this work.

Recently the state Professional Standards Board and State Board of Education approved DLP’s extension to allow for the preparation of a third cohort of aspiring leaders.

DLP is an intensive, full-time, 14-month training program for aspiring school leaders, and is a key part of Delaware’s Race to the Top plan. The six graduates of the first cohort have obtained positions in Delaware since completing their program in June. All six will continue to receive coaching and support for the next two years as part of the project.

Like the first DLP class, the second cohort was selected through a competitive application process. This second cohort of DLP aspiring principals represents the top 5 percent of applicants — more than 100 applications were received for the second cohort.

They were chosen using a multi-stage process that involved a written application, group interview and individual interview, with a rigorous scoring and selection process at each stage.

Of these six exemplary educators, El Tiempo Hispano chatted with Jesús Urdiales to learn more about this leadership in education project of Delaware.

Urdiales is a native of Monterrey, Mexico and earned a master’s degree in educational administration and supervision at the University of Houston, after serving for 12 years as a bilingual teacher in Houston, Texas. He recently turned 37 and believes that the role of a school principal is to help educators have the tools and proper training to open doors to new generations.

“I learned on the internet that Delaware was implementing a leadership plan that has been successful in New York and de- cided that I wanted to be part of an innovative project. I was not happy with what I have learned while studying my masters and I was lacking experience, so I did some research on how to improve and I found, by chance, this project in Delaware that fits my personal project.

“Although the program is a way to get certified as a principal or assistant principal in the state of Delaware, Urdiales sees it more as a program that, focuses less on theory based on questioning but, “is seeking that everybody finds a way to be a leading innovator in the education system.”

In fact the program’s philosophy says, “As school leaders, principals are the key to a school’s overall performance and must serve as the catalyst for achieving the kind of fundamental change many schools require.”

Urdiales feels very happy to have been placed in Eisenberg Elementary School in the Colonial School District and being able to share with an excellent principal as is Kalya Reynolds, “the fact that theory and practice go together in this intensive training, helps me learn to be a leader. Having the youth have the tools they need to succeed in life in all possible fields, so that everyone can take their lives into their own hands, that’s what counts.”

And how do you think innovation and creative proposals can be balanced in a control system applied in the state’s education to measure goals and results?

“While there must be a system of evaluation of what happens in the classroom, the most important thing is to figure out how we can help teachers implement a creative system of imparting education.

“We cannot see the evaluation system with a negative connotation, we must use it for what it was created, which is to improve the overall performance in school and work as a team,” said Urdiales. “The real question, he says, is how I can help for you to succeed in your endeavor.”

I feel I am very fortunate to have this opportunity to learn every day, especially visiting schools that have surprised me as I see the children’s progress in technology, communication skills and social behavior, that’s my dream, to achieve innovative education, I am certain we will accomplish amazing things.”

The program is run by Wilmington-based Innovative Schools, a non-profit public school resource center, under the oversight of the Delaware Department of Education. Innovative Schools has modeled the Delaware Leadership Project after the NYC Leadership Academy’s Aspiring Principal Program.

According to an independent study conducted by the Institute for Education and Social Policy at New York University, that program has demonstrated the capacity to reverse the decline of low-performing schools and narrow the gaps with higher-performing peer schools in elementary and middle-school English language arts and math.

To learn more or to apply for the program, visit: http://www.innovativeschools.org/dlp

El Tiempo Hispano

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE — At the heart of Wilmington, near the financial district, live 7 sisters dedicated to prayer and meditation, following the example of their order’s founder.

Sister Carmen, without abandoning her permanent smile, greets us in a cozy room in the house of the Order of Saint Clare of this city. This order had its origins in the 13th century with Saint Clare of Assisi, a contemporary of Francis of Assisi, who being of noble birth renounced all of her possessions and marriage to devote her life to Christ, leaving her home one night to never return.

The experience of Carmen, who is part of a family of fifteen siblings, has some similarities with that of the saint when she went to the convent where her older sister had already joined and decided to become a nun and never return to her parents’ home.

“It has been too many years since then,” she says with a sly smile.

What led her to the decision to become a nun? We asked and she answered, “I come from a very humble family, peasants from Michoacán and one day I saw a nun dressed as I am now, and I was very shocked. I said to myself, she looks so beautiful; I want to be like her. I never saw her again,” she continues. “I did not know where she came from, or where she had gone, but at that moment I realized that that life called me, ever since I went with other girls to take flowers to the Virgin in the month of May, after the first communion and dressed in white.”

What happened next?

“When I was 12, my sister went to the convent and I visited her often, although from the outside it seemed a dark and scary place, ‘I would die here,’ I thought. Then one day I was invited to a vocational meeting and upon entering the convent I was impressed with how beautiful it was, with its halls, its gardens, it was very nice.”

Carmen tells us that experience made her very happy, and seeing on the faces of the sisters such tranquility and joy made her decide to be like them, to look for their secret.

It was not an easy decision for her family, but there she stayed, at 16 years of age and all of her life ahead of her. The Capuchin Poor Clares in Mexico in 1986 received a visit from a cappuccino from Wilmington, Delaware, Brother Ronald Giannone, who went there to invite them to come and be the strength of his ministry with the poor.

“Without the power of prayer, we are social workers and nothing else,” the cappuccino told them with great conviction. So after some hesitation, eight sisters decided to come and have stayed here ever since.

And how is your life now?

“Very quiet, I am happy and most of all we live a life of dedication to God and prayer for the salvation of souls. Our mission is to praise God day and night, going seven times to the chapel to pray. The day begins at 4:45 and from there the prayer, personal meditation and work fill the day.”

The nuns cook for the poor, who are served in different ministry shelters, sew the habits of Capuchin friars, and wash and iron the tablecloths used at a charity center.

“Our contact with the world,” says the Sister, “is with people who come to visit and those who call asking for prayers for the needs they have, problems in marriage, the children on drugs and so on.”

What do you see as the main problem of young ladies today?

“The personal void and not having a meaning in their lives; the lack of self-esteem. They have lost their values and spiritual life; that is why they encounter problems, find no support and fall into drugs.

“Everything comes from the functioning of families that would provide the necessary spiritual foundations.”

What is the most important thing for you about being a woman?

“For me, it is to be able to give myself, feeling full, fulfilled in any vocation. Knowing that life is worth living, knowing one must love oneself. The Latina woman is a fighter, strong and a lot of the functioning of the family depends on her, and her faith.

“Latina women have a lot of strength to devote to work, to help the husband and family. Because of that, they are admirable. For me to come to Delaware has opened me up to new world. It was a beautiful thing to learn another language, I love English. I have opened myself to another world completely.” concluded Sister Carmen.

El Tiempo Hispano

DELAWARE — First State Manufacturing owners Eli Valenzuela, Sher Valenzuela, and Ashley Wolfe have been selected as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Delaware Small Business Persons of the Year. This is the story of the genesis and growth of their business.

It began in 1998 with a man, a woman, a sewing machine, and a dream in a Milford, Delaware garage. A humble beginning that today has become First State Manufacturing (FSM), a thriving business employing more than 40 technicians working in a new 66,000 sq. ft. facility funded by a $650,000 Small Business Administration (SBA) 504 loan.

As an Army communications technician, Eli Valenzuela took a correspondence course on upholstery while serving with the Second Armored Division in Germany. Little did he know that the course would lead to a second career and ownership of a multi-million dollar business.

After his military service, Valenzuela returned to Texas and first worked in civil service upholstering military aircraft and later moved to Delaware, where he secured a position at Dover Air Force Base upholstering the C-5 Galaxy, one of the largest aircraft in the world and the largest airlifter in the Air Force inventory.

Oftentimes, as he discussed his work day with his wife Sher, he would think out loud about how much American taxpayers paid for upholstery work contracted out for the C-5, specifically how he knew ways to provide a better product at a better price. Together the husband and wife decided that they should start a business to do just that.

With help from SBA resource partners SCORE and the Small Business Technology and Development Center the Valenzuela’s composed a business plan and opened First State Manufacturing in their garage with an old but reliable sewing machine named “Betsy.” Rapidly outgrowing the garage, they secured financing through a SBA $20,000 Express loan and leased space in a 2,000 sq. ft. warehouse.

Providing higher quality at lower costs led to rapid growth and with assistance from their local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) they secured more and larger contracts. Earning an SBA 8(a) certification enabled FSM to leverage a number of long-term contracts from 2000 to 2009 as the business expanded to include military and commercial contracts across the country.

Mr. Valenzuela, president, is known for his ability to create, design and manufacture textile products to meet a commercial or defense customer’s exacting specifications and has led FSM to more than $10 million in government contracts.

Ms. Valenzuela has significant experience in public relations and marketing campaigns for FSM and a variety of Fortune 500 companies. The important addition of Ashley Wolfe to the ownership and management team brought a different area of expertise to the business as executive director.

Wolfe contributes his 30-year background in manufacturing and production with an emphasis on efficiency and innovation. Together the three principals have developed a strong management team with a workforce that produces and delivers quality products while providing above-average wages to more than 43 employees.

By 2001 FSM was ready to grow again, with a $96,500 SBA backed 7(a) loan to modernize and expand their inventory, with recurring business from national restaurant and hotel chains. Their reputation grew for quality, cost effectiveness and innovation. Through extensive testing with Chili’s restaurant chain, FSM developed a trademarked seating product, Speedy Cushion, made with environmentally-friendly cushion foam and a “green” maintenance protectant that reduces fading from the sun.

The 9/11 tragedy brought a massive downturn in business to FSM and challenged their very existence…

Finish reading: Delaware’s 2012 SBA Small Business Person of the Year: A former Latino soldier “sews” up the competition

By Gabriel Pilonieta-Blanco
El Tiempo Hispano

Learning about Carlitos’ case, son of Guatemalan Encarnación Bail Romero in Missouri, who was adopted by a couple while she was in jail, made us seriously think about the issue.

Encarnación was put in jail after a raid was carried out by the ICE in a chicken processing plant where she worked in 2007. She was charged with aggravated identity theft and sentenced to two years in prison when her son Carlos was 7 months and she never got to see him again.

The peculiarities of this case are more than a few, like for instance, Judge Daniel Jones approved the adoption papers based on the fact that the mother was not taking care of the child (she was in jail) without the mother’s approval for such a procedure.

According to a report from the Applied Research Center, “Shattered Families,” as of the summer of 2011 an estimated 5,100 children in 22 states were in foster care after their parents were either detained or deported. Immigration attorneys and children’s welfare advocates say a small but troubling number, like Carlos, have been put up for adoption with American families after their birth parents were stripped of their parental rights.

In Delaware, rumors about this situation have many people in the community worried, reason why El Tiempo Hispano had a conversation with Victoria Kelly, Director of the Division of Family Services of Delaware’s Department of Services for Children and Their Families.

Mrs. Kelly has only been in office 6 months, but has experience for over 30 years working with children in the public and private sector.

Kelly explained part of the process that the Division undertakes if an abuse against a child is detected.

First, the Division has a 24-hour helpline to receive reports about child abuse throughout the state. When a report comes in it is evaluated, and if it is accepted, because not all of them are, and if it complies with the legal standards, then an investigation takes place, and by the end of it, it can be determined if it is legally supported or not.

The second step is the treatment and counseling service for the parents. During this period the child remains at home and the idea is to give them support and to connect them with the Department’s services.

“Many times people think we investigate the cases just to take the children away from their homes, when the truth is that we do everything possible for the children to remain with their families and give the children the support needed so that they can be safe at home,” adds the Director.

When this cannot be done in a safe way, the children are sent to foster care, which is provided by the agency or by private organizations hired by the agency. The objective of sending a child to foster care is to achieve reunification, working with the family so that the child can return home as soon as possible and in a safe way.

“Eighty percent of children in foster care return home in less than two years,” says Kelly.

Those who cannot return home safely are sent to the adoption program, but all of the foster care and adoption processes are not done independently by the Division, but through the family court which is the entity directing each one of these steps.

“Many people think we take the children and that we make all of the decisions, but this is not so,” say Kelly. “When there is violence among the parents, the first thing we do is to refer them to domestic violence services hoping they can resolve their differences, and an investigation cannot be conducted. But if the fight is serious and the child is suffering or could have been hurt, an investigation is opened.”

This investigation comprises a conversation with both parents and the child, if he/she is old enough to talk about the situation, and also a conversation with “collateral people” (like for instance, the pediatrician or other professionals that know the family) to establish how is the child doing.

What happens with the families who do not speak English…

Finish reading Taking care of your Child: The question of how to protect the children of undocumented mothers

By Brenda Palomo
El Tiempo Hispano

DOVER, DELAWARE — This Tuesday, January 17th, the members of the brand new Hispanic Commission congregated in Dover for their first meeting. The Commission is meant to replace the Governor’s Consortium on Hispanic Affairs as well as the Governor’s Advisory Council on Hispanic Affairs (GACHA), which were recently dissolved.

It took a while for the commissioners to settle into the small conference room of the Department of Education. Some were early, but many, in the Latin way, were late- for the 10am meeting. 18 directors, lawyers, teachers and leaders of all kinds in the highest posts of various industries came together under the leadership of Vivian Rapposelli, Cabinet Secretary for the Delaware Children’s Department, and Representative Joseph Miró.

The first item on the agenda was introductions. All of the members shared their credentials, revealing not only high levels of expertise in their respective fields, but also a sincere passion in their desire to serve the community.

Rapposelli, formerly an attorney, has been celebrated for her dedication to helping the Hispanic Community throughout her career. Governor Markell took notice of her passion and offered her the opportunity to launch the new Commission as “one voice, one body dedicated to meeting the needs of the groups of the Hispanic community.” At the beginning of the debut meeting, Raposselli expressed how thankful she was for the opportunity.

Former Wilmington police officer, Miguel Gonzales stated that for him it was imperative that the commission be truly effective and that it not be used “as a networking tool. I want to be part of an organization that really has some teeth behind it, that will help push important legislation, for example.”

The commission is well equipped to take on whatever goals they choose. With a membership that is “broad, deep, and diverse” in background and expertise, it satisfies what Raposselli says was Governor Markell’s greatest stipulation. 65% of the commission is Hispanic, eight of the members are state employees, and there are representatives from all three counties. For now, Rapposelli and Miró will act as guides for the establishment of the organization, but eventually the commissioners will elect new leaders. They will also be able to appoint up to five additional members. Although there are funds allocated to the commission, none of the members will be paid for their work. The commissioner’s services are completely voluntary and the budget is to be used only for the projects the commission decides to espouse.

The next item on the agenda…

Finish reading Delaware’s New Hispanic Commission

El Tiempo Hispano

DELAWARE — On Monday, December 12, María Martínez received a phone call from California where a man that identified himself as Luis Valdés of Acción Hispana asked her about her husband and told her they were looking for him because he owed more than $800 and “now he has an attorney trying to collect the money.”

Valdés gave her a phone number 213-784-4822 (which is registered as fraudulent, as it was later known), and asked that her husband call this number later, because if he did not pay right away the court and other costs, the sum would increase to more than $32,000. María is eight months pregnant and felt she was going to faint when she heard the dreadful news.

David Martínez, María’s husband, found that phone call awkward because “I don’t owe anybody anything, I don’t have a bad record” and he consulted with his pastor, who was in Oregon at the time and told him “Go home and see what’s going on.”

So he returned the phone call and talked to Luis Valdés, who told him he worked at the Hispanic Association, “We help Hispanics,” he said and David asked him with what? Valdés told him: “You received a package (supposedly from Herbalife) on this date and you haven’t paid for it.”

David said: “A package of what?” And Valdés replied in a high tone “We don’t have much time to explain to you because you know pretty well what was it that you ordered.” “But I didn’t order anything,” said David. “Well, if you’re going to continue with this attitude, we will put you in the computer system right away, so the whole police department goes to Georgetown or Milton where you live. Police are going to be there shortly to take all of your things, all of your belongings. This is going to cost you,” he said. “If in 20 minutes, you don’t pay $897 you are going to be in trouble, because it says here that another representative talked to a certain mister,” who turned out to be David’s cousin.

Of course David tried to talk to his cousin but he couldn’t and he thought that it was better for him to avoid any problems. “I better pay this and that’s it. I had to borrow money,” he added, “because I didn’t have means to pay this money, and well, we were settled.”

“But the day after I went to work at Bethany,” tells David, “and around noon they called me again at home saying that I didn’t pay the fine of $400 something.” Mrs. Martínez told them they had already paid them what they asked for and then they started to scold her and tell her that she didn’t understand a thing and told her to have her husband call them back.

David returned the call and they told him that if he didn’t pay that $473, the California judge was going to arrest him and “you are going to have problems with immigration and they will take you to court and they will throw you in jail for a month or two.” Meanwhile David told him there was no proof that he owed that money and they answered that they had already sent many documents and “you have never wanted to respond.”

Martínez assures he never received any document regarding the alleged package that had been sent to him and remembers that during his first conversation with Valdés he was told that if he paid the first $800, they would send him a CD with proof of them having sent the package with dates and everything, so that he could figure out how things were, or if someone had bought that on his behalf. “That way you will know who is the person betraying you,” they said.

These proofs never came, although they said they were already at UPS and that he would have to pay the $473 anyway to be able to withdraw the court charges and be debt-free.

David started thinking that he had already sent $950 including delivery charges and on Tuesday he borrowed $490 more to send, and that after three days they called again and asked him to send another $625 threatening him again with jail, so it was then when David thought that this was too much money and he decided to get help…

Finish reading Guatemalan couple defrauded for more than $1,500 through phone threats

By Gabriel Pilonieta-Blanco
El Tiempo Hispano

Dual language education, Spanish and English in Lewis Elementary School in Wilmington could cease to be a reality.

WILMINGTON — Lewis Elementary has been a pioneer and unique in its type in Delaware’s public education system until the opening this year of the Las Americas ASPIRA Academy. Due to the low academic results obtained in these past years, Delaware’s Secretary of Education Lillian Lowery has launched a rescue plan within the Partnership Zone schools.

“Now I’m issuing a call to action so that all of our schools have the chance to be great. Each and every student must be given the opportunity to be ready for college and prepared to compete for the next generation of jobs,” Secretary Lowery said. “I am committed to working with the administrators, teachers, families and others in the inaugural Partnership Zone school communities to ensure we identify innovative strategies to improve outcomes for their students.”

In a news bulletin from the Secretary of Education it is said that “Lewis is a dual language elementary school in the Red Clay school district located in the Hilltop neighborhood right next to the Latin American Community Center in Wilmington Delaware.

“Dual language” means that students receive half of their instruction in English and the other half in Spanish. Lewis currently serves 438 students in grades K-5, 84% of which are low income, 83% Hispanic/Latino, and 66% ELL (Lewis’ dual-language program means students in its feeder pattern can opt-out and ELL students outside of its feeder pattern can opt-in without having to go through school choice, which likely explains some of these proportions).

According to the proposal handed in by Red Clay school district on November 17th, to improve the academic performance in that school with a majority of Hispanic population, it is essential to improve English skills in students. Without an improvement in the language, it is going to be very difficult for them to advance, said an administrator with whom El Tiempo Hispano talked.

Worries about Lewis’ low results are understandable, only 28% of the students pass the exam and this has caused alarm among the administrators, and although the parents are happy, if the results are not good, it is better to change the model; it is a matter of changing, not eliminating, they say.

I must point out that this article stems from a call that we received in which we were alerted about the elimination of Lewis’ bilingual program, no explanations. It’s the reason why we requested information from both the school district where Lewis belongs and from Delaware’s Department of Education.

We only received one answer from Ms. Noreen Lasorsa, Chief Officer of School Turnaround. She very kindly explained the part related to the Partnership Zone schools but could not explain under what arguments and who is suggesting dual teaching to be eliminated to improve the academic performance of Lewis’ students, or in what way the families, which this new plan affects or benefits, are going to be taken into consideration.

For such purpose we contacted Mr. Mervin Daugherty, Superintendent of Red Clay School District. Despite having waited for a week, we didn’t receive any answer up to this moment as we are writing this article.

As Lasorsa explained…

Finish reading Is it the end for dual language education?