12/07/2022

Allentown School Board

Administration Center - Boardroom
31 S. Penn Street
Allentown, PA 18105

Dear Allentown School Board of Directors:

The Puerto Rican/Latino student population in the Allentown School District (ASD) make up between 72-77%
depending on a variety of published statistics including the stats on the ASD website
www.allentownsd.org/Ourdistrict and the most recent census. However, our Puerto Rican/Latino students and
families are not represented at the higher management levels of the ASD nor are the Latino students'
educational needs being met.
In recent years the ASD Board and Superintendent positions have gone through numerous personnel changes,
yet, none have included or engaged the Puerto Rican/Latino community. We, the newly formed Allentown
Latino Education Coalition (ALEC), on behalf of all the Allentown Latino students and families, strongly
request that we get a seat at the table.
We request a meeting with the leadership of the ASD Board of Directors, (the president and vice-president) to
start the conversation. We are fully aware that the directors are mostly voted into their positions, however, we
also understand that there is at least one vacant seat which will be filled through an appointment process. At
the superintendent level, currently, there is an interim person in that position. We are in a position, at your
request, to submit resumes of individuals to help fill these openings with qualified Latinos.
With about three-quarters of the student-body of the ASD and more than 50% of the Allentown community
being Latino, it is imperative that this conversation happen immediately. Our primary goal is to have a
dialogue with ASD that leads to a partnership where our Latino children are fairly represented and their
educational needs are met.
We the undersigned call on the ASD and its Board of Directors to include Latinos:
• In the search for a new Superintendent and request a hiring process that is transparent and
community-driven.
• Actively seek and prepare Puerto Rican/Latinos for future positions in its Board of Directors
and management positions.
• Recruit and hire management and teaching staff that understand the language and culture of
the large Allentown Latino student population.
• Update the ASD website to reflect the actual numbers of Latinos in the ASD population, as
stated in the most recent census numbers.
• Build Puerto Rican/Latino community partners as part of your community agencies.
• Publish staff demographics for the assessment of board goals.

We look forward to a meeting with the leadership of the ASD Board to be held at a time and place of your
choice, to discuss the involvement and inclusion of the Puerto Rican/Latino communities in the Allentown
School District decision making and how we can be of assistance in that process.
Respectfully Yours,

Allentown Latino Education Coalition

-A National Puerto Rican Agenda PA project

Indira Gonzales, ASD Parent

Milagros Matias, ASD Parent
MagalyAlvalle, ASD Parent
Edward Read, ASD Parent
Rosa Read, ASD Parent

Janet Ferreira, ASD Parent

Antonio Guzman, ASD Parent

Carolina Marte, ASD Parent

Henry Pereira, ASD Parent

Johanna Eras, ASD Parent

Angel Sotero, Parent ASD

Olga Negrón, Board President, Hispanic Center of Lehigh Valley
Lucy DeLabar, Executive Director, Casa Guadalupe Center
Guillermo López, Executive Director, The Guillermo Lopez DEI Institute
Janine Santoro, President, Latino Leadership Alliance of the Lehigh Valley
Ana Sainz de la Peña, Executive Director Global Education Consulting Group
Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs
María Teresa Donate, Former Chair, Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs and Community
Activist
Flor Vélez, President Puerto Rican Cultural Preservation Inc.
Julio Guridy, Former Allentown City Council President
Marianell Agosto, Northeastern Regional Co-Chair, National Puerto Rican Agenda
Dr. Robertoluis Lugo Morciglio, President National Puerto Rican Agenda
Miguel Concepción, Treasurer National Puerto Rican Agenda
Victor Martínez, President & CEO (Mega 101.7FM, Mega 92.9FM, La Kalle 99.9FM & Loud 106.9 /
99.5FM)
AJ Suero, Board Chair, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of the Lehigh Valley
Pastor Nydia Cedré Ramos
Tim Ramos, Former Allentown Mayoral Candidate
Carlos López, Board President Dual Language School of the Lehigh Valley
Henry Hernández, Community Activist
Profesor Angel Mulero
Jessica Ortiz, Executive Director, Ortiz Ark Foundation
Daniel Class, Guidance Counselor
John Rosario, Local Businessman
Altagracia Mercado, Community Leader