A contract to provide language interpretation services for non-English-speaking families sparked debate at Lehighton Area School District’s board meeting last week before members voted 6-1 in favor of the agreement through the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit.

The agreement with TransPerfect Remote Interpreters runs from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. It sets per-minute rates for services at $1.63 for over-the-phone interpretation in all languages and $2.48 for video interpretation and American Sign Language.

“Why do we need language interpretation services?” Duane Dellecker, a Lehighton board member, asked before the vote. “Do we have kids who don’t speak English in this school?”

LASD Director of Student Services Sandra Michalik said, “If the occasion should arise where we have one or two parents who need it, that’s why we have it.”

“In the past four months alone,” Michalik added, “we’ve had a couple of meetings with parents who don’t have English as their first language. When we’re reviewing an Individualized Education Plan, we need to make sure the parents understand.”

Dellecker, the lone board member to vote against the contract, said he fundamentally disagreed with the concept.

“You’re in this country, speak English,” he said. “If you don’t understand it, go back to the country you came from, or learn the language.”

The TransPerfect agreement specifies that CLIU will provide interpretation and translation services upon request by the district. The district is not required to pay a monthly minimum fee, since the intermediate unit assumes that responsibility if needed. Account setup fees and portal costs are waived.

The contract also details terms of termination. Either party may end the agreement by mutual consent, in the case of a breach, or if one party ceases business operations. Disputes are subject to the jurisdiction of Lehigh County courts.

Fellow board member Barbara Bowes stressed the district’s legal obligation.

“If people have been here two or three years, they’re not going to be proficient in the language,” she said. “That’s where the law comes in. They have to understand unequivocally what they’re being told. That way, we don’t get sued down the road for not providing something they thought we were going to provide. We need to make sure everyone understands the legal documents.”