"A former school secretary has sued Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, saying she lost her job at Devonshire Elementary when a new principal banned her from speaking Spanish to parents who can't speak English.
Ana Ligia Mateo claims she was hired as a bilingual secretary for the east Charlotte school in 2006. But when Suzanne Gimenez took over as principal in 2008, the lawsuit says, Gimenez 'announced in a staff meeting that she would no longer allow Spanish to be spoken to parents by any of the faculty or staff.'
This year 42 percent of Devonshire's 500 students are Hispanic. The school's Web site says that the school theme is 'Academy of Cultural and Academic Diversity.'"
Ana Ligia Mateo claims she was hired as a bilingual secretary for the east Charlotte school in 2006. But when Suzanne Gimenez took over as principal in 2008, the lawsuit says, Gimenez 'announced in a staff meeting that she would no longer allow Spanish to be spoken to parents by any of the faculty or staff.'
This year 42 percent of Devonshire's 500 students are Hispanic. The school's Web site says that the school theme is 'Academy of Cultural and Academic Diversity.'"