Doe Ex Rel. Doe v. Los Angeles Unified School District

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION.

I. INTRODUCTION.

On June 2, 1998, the California electorate adopted Proposition 227, a state initiative that restricts the use of bilingual education in public schools to teach students that are limited in English proficiency. On July 30,1998, plaintiffs filed the instant suit that challenges the validity of the proposition on federal statutory grounds. Plaintiffs currently move to certify a class to include,

Defendants Los Angeles Unified School District and Ruben Zacarías, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, oppose the motion. Upon careful consideration of the moving papers, the opposition, the reply, and oral argument, the Court certifies plaintiffs’ proposed class.

II. PROPOSITION 227.

Carrying sixty-one percent of the California voters’ support, Proposition 227’s general aim is to require California public schools to abandon bilingual education programs, which the district widely employed prior to the adoption of the initiative. Under these programs, limited English proficiency (“LEP”) students received English language instruction but learned other academic subjects in their primary…