Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Education (1993-2001). Nominated by President Clinton, March 1993. Unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, May 1993. Set record as longest-serving Assistant Secretary for OCR, from 1993 to 2001. Managed a federal agency with its own Congressional budget over $54 million. Prepared and delivered agency testimony before Congress and U.S. Senate. As policy-maker and counselor to the President and to the Education Secretary on civil rights, set national policy, published legal guidance, enforced federal laws, resolved cases with positive impact for over 6 million students annually. Supreme Court and courts of appeal cited with approval the agency’s published policies. The General Accounting Office documented efficient management changes (2000). Agency won Heroes of Reinvention Awards for management.
Appointed U.S. Representative to International Commission on the Child, a component of the Organization of American States (OAS) (1998-2001). Coordinated with State Department.
Selected by the U.S. State Department to represent U.S. in matters of policy and international diplomacy, including two U.S. delegations of representing the U.S. State Department. Co-chaired U.S. delegation to global Education for All conference in Senegal, representing U.S. Secretary Richard Riley.
Regional Counsel/National Educational Director/Staff Attorney, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (MALDEF) (1979-1993). Trial and appellate experience in federal and state courts in class action civil rights cases, with emphasis on minority women and low-income children. Directed national education litigation project, funded by Carnegie Foundation. Supervised attorneys and investigators in five state regional offices.
SELECTED PUBLISHED CASES_______________________________________________
West-Orange Cove I.S.D. v. Neeley (Tex. Supreme Court, 2006) With permission from UT-Austin, served as co-counsel in successful challenge by school districts to lack of state funding and over-reliance of property taxes to support public education. As pro bono counsel, I handled the direct and cross-examination of lead witnesses, including the Texas Commissioner of Education. When plaintiffs prevailed before Texas Supreme Court, I donated all my attorneys’ fees to plaintiffs’ counsel (over $150,000 to nonprofit corporation representing low-income children). This case, involving six appeals to Texas Supreme Court, was the basis for best-seller by Jonathan Kozol, Savage Inequalities.
League of United Latin American Citizens, et al, v. Richards, 863 S.W.2d 449 (Tex. S.Ct. 1993) (co-counsel in partially successful challenge to state funding system. Low funding of college facilities and programs in border region resulted in college faculty teaching in high school buildings, lacking program offerings such as law and medicine in a region containing one-fourth of the state population, and suffering a brain drain to areas east and north of the border. This case was brought by low-income residents of counties along the Texas-Mexico border. Plaintiffs won district court ruling, prompting the Texas Legislature to appropriate close to $600 million new dollars to support state border colleges and universities in adding needed higher education programs and research centers. The Texas Supreme Court reversed the district court, but did not disturb the Legislature’s response to the district court which resulted in new campuses and graduate schools for the border region.
U.S. and C.R.U.C.I.A.L. v. Ector County I.S.D., 722 F.2d 1182 (5th Cir. 1983) (lead counsel representing a coalition of African American, White and Latino parents in Odessa, TX, in successful bid to desegregate public schools. Despite long delay in district agreeing to desegregate, the Court ordered desegregation of students, faculty and programs. Fifth Circuit affirmed. Facts in this case regarding the role of high school in a West Texas town undergoing desegregation formed the basis of national best seller and movie Friday Night Lights.
Edgewood v. Kirby, 777 S.W.2d 391 (Tex. 1980) (co-counsel in case which reformed inequities in state funding laws and resulted in resources to meet accountability standards for public school districts).
Keyes v. School District No. 1, Denver, 609 F. Supp. 149 (D. Colo. 1985); also reported at 895 F.2d 659 (10th Cir. 1990); 653 F. Supp. 1536 (D. Colo. 1985) and 670 F. Supp. 153 (D. Colo. 1987) (co-counsel in enforcing the case which produced the first federal ruling admonishing school districts to avoid negative impact to English language learners in court’s handling of school desegregation matters).
Castaneda v Pickard, 781 F.2d 45 (5th Cir. 1986) (co-counsel in partially successful suit to require local school districts to hire more qualified bilingual education teachers. The new ruling issued by the Fifth Circuit halting the improper use of standardized tests for non-English speakers was adopted by the U.S. Department of Education as national policy in 1992). I testified before Congress on the case and its national impact.
U.S. and CRUCIAL v. Ector County I.S.D., 772 F.2d 1182 (5th Cir. 1983) (lead counsel in school desegregation case, representing a coalition of black, white and Latino parents in Odessa, Texas). The late start in 1983 by Odessa in initiating desegregation efforts and in integrating its high school football team formed the basis of a national best-selling book and popular TV series Friday Night Lights.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS________________________________________________
Cantú, Norma V. Emerging Legal Issues: A Proposed Agenda for Advocacy for Hispanics, in Villarreal, et al (eds.) Latino Empowerment: Progress, Problems and Prospects, Greenwood Press (1988).
Cantú, Norma V. (ed.) (1994) Racial Harassment: OCR Investigative Guidance. Fed. Reg. (March 10, 1994).
Cantú, Norma V. and Moore, Mike (eds.) Protecting Students from Harassment and Hate Crimes: A Guide for Schools. National Association of Attorneys General. (1995).
Cantú, Norma V. (ed.) (1997). Title IX: 15 Years of Progress.
Cantú, Norma V. Lecture. 43 NY School Law Rev. 129 (co-published by Harvard Law School and NYU Law School).
Cantú, Norma V. and Riley, Richard W. (eds.) (2000). The Use of Tests as Part of High-Stakes Decision-Making for Students: A Resource Guide for Educators and Policy-Makers. Fed. Reg. (Dec. 15, 2000).
Cantú, Norma V. (ed.) (2001) Applying Federal Civil Rights Laws to Public Charter Schools: Questions and Answers.
EXAMPLES OF HONORS AND SERVICE_____________________________________
National, American Bar Association, Section on Individual Rights Mentorship Award.
National, Honorary doctorate degree, City University of New York.
National, Women’s Institute on Sports and Education Hall of Fame, September 27, 1996.
National, Acting Secretary of Education for one week while colleagues took a deserved December holiday visit with their families.
National, Member of Board of Directors of Excelencia in Education, nonprofit organization committed to researching and disseminating information regarding promising practices on college completion of Latino students in the U.S.
National, Chair of Program and Planning Committee of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., nonprofit organization committed to protecting the civil rights of students of all backgrounds who face illegal practices and policies undermining their fair access to educational opportunities.
National, Board of Directors of Foundation for Child Development.
National, Founding Member of Board of Directors of Barbara Jordan Freedom Foundation, nonprofit group established by family of Ms. Jordan to treasure and preserve the memory of the late Barbara Jordan. Participated in week-long remembrance activities at state capitol.
National, Board of Directors of Center for Law and Education.
State, served on selections committee for Fellows with the Jose Cardenas Fellowship on School Finance, part of Intercultural Research and Development Corp. (IDRA).
State, served as Member of Board of Directors of the Mexican American Legislative Foundation, nonprofit dedicated to opening opportunities for students of all backgrounds to conduct research and assist members of the legislature in activities related to civil rights.
State, University of Texas at Pan American Distinguished Alumnus Award, November 14, 1996
State, Texas Southmost College Distinguished Alumnus Award, May 19, 1994.
