On Thursday, June 23, 2011, Oakland civil rights Attorney Pamela Y. Price of Price And Associates held a press conference at the NAACP offices at 1218 B Street in Hayward to announce the terms of a $725,000 settlement in the Fobbs, et al v. New Haven Unified School District (“NHUSD”), et al class action lawsuit. The settlement includes thirteen (13) remedial policies and programs to be implemented by the District in an effort to curb racial violence against African-American youth in their schools.

The class action lawsuit was filed in state and federal court under Federal and State civil rights laws by Oakland civil rights attorneys Pamela Y. Price and John L. Burris on behalf of Alvett Fobbs (the named plaintiff in this case) and six (6) families, including twelve (12) individual students or former students, and African-American students attending school in Union City. The intention of the suit was to compel the District into take stronger measures to protect African-American students and to stop the gang-inspired racially motivated attacks in their Union City schools, which they have failed to do over many years.

“The violence against African-American youth in Union City has been going on unchecked for years, and it has to stop now,” said Attorney Price. “Students have been afraid to walk to school or use public transit due to the random violence against them. It is my hope, and that of the community and the families affected, that the $725,000 settlement will spur the District to forcefully implement the remedial steps that have been negotiated to alleviate the atmosphere of violence that incubates in their schools.”

Following the press conference, the NHUSD issued a press release stating that the announcement of a settlement was premature and that the Plaintiffs’ contentions were false. Attorney Price issued the following statement in response:

“We have been informed that the District is repudiating the settlement that it supposedly entered into "in good faith." This is very disappointing, but consistent with the callous lack of concern previously demonstrated for the victims of racially motivated gang violence at schools within the District. In order to clarify, attached are the Court's Civil Minute Orders which reflect the time we spent over two days working on the remedial plan and arriving at an amount for the settlement. On June 1, we agreed upon the amount of the settlement and the date of payment and acknowledged it on the record before the Court. On June 17, we agreed upon the remedial steps to be taken by the District and acknowledged it on the record before the Court. The District's statement that the settlement is not final is not accurate. On June 22, the District's attorney informed us in writing that the Board approved the terms of the settlement at its meeting on June 21. Plaintiffs dedicated themselves to achieving a resolution that would make a difference in their community. We remain hopeful that District officials will honor the process, the terms and the spirit of the settlement.”

Contrary to the District’s statements, not only was the case settled and acknowledged on the record before the Court, but settlement checks were due for delivery from the NHUSD by June 28. Those settlement checks were, in fact, delivered by the NHUSD on June 28.