The League of United Latin American Citizens has filed a complaint with the
The group, in a three-page letter delivered Wednesday, says there is “remarkable support for Dr. Diaz in the Latino community.”
“In the past, some administrators and staff have made this community feel inferior and insignificant. Their concerns and issues have either been swept under the rug or have fallen by the wayside,” the letter states. “Dr. Diaz has been inspirational in reaching out to this community and is supportive of programs targeted to improve public instruction not only for migrant children, but for all students within the school district.”
The letter, which is signed by New Mexico LULAC Director Paul Martinez and Phillip Archuleta, chair of the Civil Rights Commission, asks the board to reinstate Diaz and place her on a growth plan, and also to address the group’s concerns at its next meeting.
“The perception of many Latinos is that several members of the Las Cruces school board treat Latino issues indifferently and are insensitive to our community,” the letter states.
Leonel Briseño, the only Hispanic member of the school board, said he did not want to comment because he had not seen the LULAC letter.
District spokeswoman Jo Galvan said the school board “is committed to ensuring a good job of educating all students, regardless of nationality or ethnicity.”
Diaz is formally appealing her termination after board members unanimously voted to remove her last month. The board will set a hearing for, most likely, sometime in January.
In the letter, LULAC complains that Diaz and her attorney say there is no basis for her firing, that she was not given the opportunity to defend herself and that she was not given the reasoning behind the board’s decision.
Galvan said that’s not true, saying the board’s attorney interviewed Diaz about the allegations against her. She also said the board sent Diaz “an extensive list of reasons for her dismissal.”
Galvan pointed out that, though the board can’t legally disclose the reasons for Diaz’s firing, Diaz could do so, if she wanted them known publicly.
“We’re very concerned because we don’t see any foundation for the dismissal,” he said. “Maybe they know more than we do.”
Board members have repeatedly said they do know more than they can share publicly, and have said the problems with Diaz were grave enough to warrant termination.
But, the LULAC letter states, Diaz has not been given the opportunity to correct any problems that existed.
“This would have been the prudent thing to do. It would have demonstrated good faith on the board’s part,” the letter states.
The letter brings up the fact that many complaints about Diaz have to do with her “approach and demeanor,” and suggested that, if that is the case, she could hold labor management meetings to resolve conflicts with staff members.
“We recognize that her management style is a no-nonsense approach,” the letter states. “Is that a fault or an attribute?”
Diaz praised LULAC as an organization “with a long history and certainly a legacy of supporting Latinos and Hispanics in the
“They’re just concerned with doing the right thing,” Diaz said. “I’m just grateful they’re supporting me.”