Arabic, Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, French, Fulani, Haitian Creole, Japanese, Karen, Khmer, Nepali, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese, and Wolof are identified as the top 20 languages spoken in New York State.
Now the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) is available in all of them.
New York State officials say it is in response to a rising number of reports on bullying, discrimination and harassment across the country and the fear and confusion resulting from recent federal actions.
State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia says “All of our students have a right to a free education and no child should fear going to school. We must do everything in our power to create safe and supportive learning environments, including providing all parents and guardians the resources they need to be informed of their rights and the rights of their children.”
According to a news release from the New York State Education Department, translated materials include items issued recently by Attorney General Schneiderman and Commissioner Elia, reminding school districts of their duty to comply with existing state and federal laws that ensure the rights of immigrant children to attend New York’s public schools without fear of reprisal. The guidance provides districts with relevant information pertaining to their duties under the law with respect to their students and the confidentiality of student records.
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