4 Families Sue Schools Over Enrollment Delays

Four families have filed suit against the Long Beach Unified School District for allegedly placing their children on a waiting list rather than in a classroom. The seven pupils, who do not speak English, had tried to enroll but were kept waiting as long as 31 days, Legal Aid counsel Jack Alanis said.

“There are compulsory education laws. The district is violating those laws if it tells parents there is no space, and their children have to go home and wait,” he said.

District officials said there is no waiting list. Occasional enrollment delays result from problems such as incomplete immunization records or parents choosing to wait until there is space in a bilingual program of their choice, they said. “We didn’t think a lawsuit was necessary,” Supt. Tom Giugni said. “A phone call could have resolved the problem, if there was one.”