Skip To Main Content

Meadowfield Elementary Multilingual Learning Specialist to Testify During U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Briefing on Language Access

Bryan Lynip, a multilingual learning specialist at Meadowfield Elementary School, will testify before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in Washington, D.C. during a briefing about how language barriers impact access to government services and health care for individuals with limited English proficiency.

The hearing will take place Friday, March 21 from 10 a.m. - 4:50 p.m. Lynip is set to testify at around 1:30 p.m. Click here to watch the hearing on the Commission’s YouTube page.

Lynip plans to speak about what he’s seen with students and parents when it comes to getting the resources they need, especially required immunizations. He says parents who speak limited English may not understand the importance of getting the right vaccinations for their children and scheduling appointments quickly, which could lead to students missing school for weeks or months.

“My kids would miss days and days of schools, and the language minority parents don’t often know that that’s really considered unacceptable. They don’t advocate for themselves very well. They don’t understand that education is a right in a way that it isn’t in their home countries. If someone like me isn’t clued into the fact that that’s happening and can advocate for them, that student will miss school,” said Lynip.

Earlier this school year, Lynip was named a 2024-2025 WIDA Fellow, which recognizes educators in WIDA’s efforts to bring quality and equitable education to multilingual learners.

###

Man smiling

PHOTO: Bryan Lynip, a multilingual learning specialist at Meadowfield Elementary School, will testify before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in Washington, D.C. March 21 during a briefing about how language barriers impact access to government services and health care for individuals with limited English proficiency.