Employee asked for a pen in Spanish. The school then issued an English-only policy

A Fontana preschool that implemented an English-only policy for its employees agreed to a $200,000 settlement with California after a teacher’s aide claimed management retaliated against her for speaking Spanish. The money could be distributed to former and current employees affected by the policy.

The issue started with a pen, the California Civil Rights Department announced in a news release on Thursday. The state watchdog investigates claims of abuse by employers and has filed lawsuits against Tesla, video game giant Activision Blizzard, Microsoft and the Ralphs supermarket chain.

In 2023, the state agency began its investigation into Leaps and Bounds, a private preschool and elementary school with locations in Escondido, La Puente and Fontana.

An employee of the school claimed her hours were drastically cut and that she felt discriminated against based on her cultural background. After someone overheard an employee speaking Spanish — they were asking a co-worker for a pen — the school implemented an English-only policy at work, the Civil Rights Department said. The person claimed the employees were gossiping in Spanish, so management responded by requiring employees to sign an agreement that blocked them from speaking Spanish at work, unless they needed to communicate with a parent who did not speak English, according to the settlement agreement.

“Educators deserve to feel celebrated for their heritage, but instead Leaps and Bounds’ alleged language ban fostered a hostile work culture that made staff feel unvalued and unwelcome,” Kevin Kish, director of the California Civil Rights Department, said in a statement.

California civil rights laws prohibit employers from discriminating against its employees based on their national origin, race or ethnicity, according to the Civil Rights Department.

The employee who filed the complaint was able to enter into a mediation with the state agency and their employer. Leaps and Bounds agreed to end its English-only policy and train its staff on California’s civil rights laws.

Leaps and Bounds did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the California Civil Rights Department could not be reached for additional information about the case. The settlement will fund a $35,000 award for the employee who filed the complaint, and cover the costs that will be incurred to notify current and former employees who may be entitled to money.