School principal placed on paid leave after forbidding students from speaking Spanish in class

HEMPSTEAD, Texas – A Texas middle school principal has been placed on paid leave after she banned the speaking of Spanish by students while in class.

A Hempstead school district spokeswoman confirms that Amy Lacey has been placed on leave pending investigation of her Nov. 12 announcement on the intercom at Hempstead Middle School.

More than 50 percent of the school enrollment of about 330 students is Hispanic. KHOU-TV (http://bit.ly/1c9Uwpl) of Houston reports a letter sent by the district to school parents assured that neither the district nor any campus has any policy banning speaking Spanish.

School district spokeswoman Laurie Bettis says the district is committed to "embracing all students of all cultural and diverse backgrounds."

Hempstead is a town of about 6,000 about 50 miles northwest of Houston.

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Information from: KHOU-TV, http://www.khou.com