ACLU Sues Bergen School District For Alleged Discrimination

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against 12 school districts, including one in Bergen County, claiming they unconstitutionally discriminate against immigrants and their children.

The Northern Valley Regional High School District was the only Bergen County school district sued. The district, along with the 11 others, require Social Security numbers or valid immigration status as a condition for students to enroll. The ACLU claims this violates the New Jersey Constitution. The organization filed the lawsuit in Bergen County Superior Court Thursday morning.

“New Jersey’s state Constitution calls for free public education, and that applies to every single child – no exceptions,” said ACLU-NJ staff attorney Elyla Huertas, who filed the lawsuits. “In a state where one in five residents is foreign-born, at a time when our president has made the exclusion of immigrants a key part of his policy agenda, it’s more important than ever for every school district in New Jersey to meet its obligations, both to New Jersey’s families and to the Constitution.”

The ACLU said it sued the 12 districts with the "most restrictive" enrollment policies. It claims several others impose improper requirements that hinder enrollment by immigrant parents.

Northern Valley Regional School District Superintendent James Santana said that the matter has been referred to the School Board's attorney. He declined further comment.

The ACLU's New Jersey chapter audited the state's 560 school districts in 2008 and 2014 to identify problematic enrollment requirements. Northern Valley Regional had unconstitutional enrollment policies as far back as 2008, according to the ACLU.

Read the ACLU's Superior Court complaint here:

Email daniel.hubbard@patch.com

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