By JEFF STITT
[email protected]
McKeesport Area School District has reached a settlement agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and 11 high school students who filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the district and Superintendent Dr. Mark Holtzman.
An press release sent Monday states that the district “is proud to announce the favorable settlement agreement with the ACLU, in regard to the Black Student Union.”
Under the settlement, the 11 students have 30 days to submit a new proposal to Holtzman to form a black student union. Upon receipt, the district must, within 10 days, recognize the organization as a non-curricular student activity — as long as no “non-school persons or entities” are named as advisors or participants of the club.
The settlement was signed Monday by ACLU of Pennsylvania Legal Director Witold J. Walczak and school district solicitor Gary Matta.