WESTPORT, 23 April - The New York Times reported on Friday  that Joel L. Freedman, a Westport resident, has filed a complaint with the Federal Department of Labor charging the Westport school district with discriminatory hiring practices.

According to the Times article, the complaint "...reflects a growing consternation among parents and educators about the lack of diversity, in terms of students and faculty members, in many suburban school districts throughout the New York metropolitan region."

In the article Mr. Freedman provides praise for the town's multicultural curriculum, but cites worry about the ability of local children to meet people of other races.

School officials in the article cite a number of reasons for their inability to hire diverse staff, including a tight labor market and high local housing costs.

Westport Online will report further on this item as details unfold.