Hearings scheduled in Newark Teachers Union lawsuits over Global Studies report, other documents

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Nearly two years after allegations of racial harassment at the Newark School of Global Studies first surfaced, two lawsuits demanding the release of a report analyzing the cultural dynamics at the school are scheduled to be heard in court.

A hearing for the case over the release of the Creed Strategies contract with the district, the firm that conducted the report, and billing records is scheduled for Aug. 20, according to court records online. The case over the release of the Global Studies report is scheduled for Sept. 3, Newark Public Schools’ first day of school, according to court records online.

The Newark Teachers Union sued the district in November 2023 for access to the scathing Global Studies report after Superintendent Roger León said the document would remain internal and after the union’s public records request for the report was denied. In April, the teachers union filed another lawsuit against the district after a second public records request seeking access to billing records, and the contract between the district and Creed Strategies was also denied.

The teachers union lawsuit is the first court battle to unlock the findings of the Global Studies report. It is also part of a nearly two-year battle between the community and the district over the lack of solutions and transparency after incidents of harassment against Black students and staff at the high school surfaced.

In November 2022, Black students at Global Studies spoke at a board meeting about the racial harassment they endured at the high school. In response, the report analyzing the cultural, racial, and religious dynamics at the high school was commissioned by Newark’s school board in January 2023 but the district has not made it public. The incidents at the high school resulted in at least half a dozen Black students requesting transfers and two Black teachers resigning.

Raymond Baldino, an associate at the Zazzali law firm representing the teachers union, also filed a letter to the courts in July requesting an update on the case to release the Global Studies report. The letter came six months after Superior Court Judge Mayra Tarantino ordered a review of the report in January .

“We are aware that the process may take some time, but in an abundance of caution, wished to respectfully inquire on the status, given the long period of inactivity in the case,” read Baldino’s letter to Judge Tarantino in July.

Craig Novak of the Taylor Law Group, who represents the district in both cases, did not respond to an emailed request for comment on Monday. Newark Public Schools has previously said it does not comment on pending litigation.

In June 2023, León said the report would not be released publicly despite requests from members and community leaders. In documents submitted to the Superior Court in December 2023, León argued that releasing the report would have a “chilling effect” on discussions about racial dialogue and sensitivity practices at Global Studies and districtwide.

The district last fall shared only parts of the report that contained three recommendations including the need to assess the effects of “anti-Blackness” on the school system, foster conversations about racial issues, build school staff capacity to identify cultural gaps, and create an environment that is racially conscious and inclusive. It is unclear whether the district has implemented any changes based on the recommendations in the Global Studies report.

The recommendations came as the high school’s vice principal, Hoda Abdelwahab, left the district. She was among those called out by community leaders during board meetings and in legal claims filed by former teachers at the high school for handling the issues poorly. Parents of students at the high school also called for the removal of Global Studies principal, Nelson Ruiz, who has remained in his role.

The former Global Studies teachers filed legal claims with state and federal offices in 2023, alleging they experienced harassment and racial hostility from students and supervisors. The allegations of racial harassment against students and staff are currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, according to the department’s letter notifying León about the start of the investigation on Dec. 21, 2023.

The teachers union filed its first public records request for access to the Global Studies report on Sept. 29, 2023, arguing that it had an interest in the release of the report and in knowing of any changes or recommendations to the district’s approach to handling student and staff issues related to “anti-Blackness” or “cultural sensitivity,” ultimately affecting teachers in the district.

The district denied the request, citing a legal exemption that allows some draft documents or advisory documents to be withheld from the public. Other parties, including Chalkbeat Newark, have also requested access to the report but have been denied.

Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org .