Judge won't toss ACLU's 'right to read' lawsuit

HIGHLAND PARK (AP) -- A judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit that accuses the state of Michigan of failing to improve the reading skills of students in a poor urban district. The American Civil Liberties Union says the state and the emergency manager running Highland Park schools are violating a law that requires additional assistance for students who are not reading at the appropriate level in certain grades. The state says it's immune to a lawsuit, but Wayne County Judge Marvin Stempien disagreed last Thursday and set a trial date for July 22. The ACLU is seeking highly trained teachers in Highland Park and new books. The group says more than 70 percent of students in fourth and seventh grades need special instruction. Published: Mon, Jul 1, 2013