Parents and students report translation problems at senior meeting; district pledges follow-up

Several students and a parent told the Othello School District Board that a recent senior meeting intended for families was split between rooms and that translation services did not provide a full bilingual presentation.
A student commenter said the counselor “spoke Spanish, but they had the whole presentation in English,” and added that technical difficulties hampered listeners who relied on translation. The student said the meeting began at 5 p.m. and that staff split attendees so parents using hearing aids or translation equipment would go to the library.
Superintendent Dr. Perez acknowledged the problem and told the board he would follow up. “I'll go back and check on some of those things and follow-up with them and see if we need to … make sure we do better,” he said, apologizing for the family’s experience and noting that senior-year information can be critical.
A district staff member described the district’s usual model for live interpretation: “We have experts like Dorothy in the back and we would hand out a headset. She would be listening to the conversation that we're having, translating that and interpreting that … and that's what should occur.” The staff member said interpreters listen to questions in Spanish and relay them in English so the meeting does not lose its flow.
Board members asked if the equipment might have been uncharged or outdated; staff said the equipment is typically adequate and they would investigate whether a charging or setup issue caused the failure.
The board treated the item as public comment and an informational matter; no formal action or policy change was taken that evening. District staff committed to check the specific meeting logistics and the availability and functioning of interpretation headsets and to return if necessary with corrective steps.
The comments underscored broader board remarks that district communications should be accessible in parents’ languages, particularly for events where questions and answers are relevant to all attendees.