US judge says Filipino teachers’ case falls under human trafficking law
BATON ROUGE — A Los Angeles federal judge has ruled that the conditions that Filipino teachers were subjected to when brought to Louisiana qualifies their case to be heard under the federal human trafficking law.
According to DailyWorld.com, US District Judge John A. Kronstadt’s ruling is the first time the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) would be applied to a class of people, instead of individuals.
The Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center filed the lawsuit, on behalf of Filipino teachers, against the East Baton Rouge Parish Board (EBRSB), primarily the superintendent’s office.
Also involved are the companies the school board worked with, based in Manila and Los Angeles. An official in the EBRSB superintendent’s office facilitated the importation of teachers and conducted interviews in Manila.
