[6] Former ASPIRA club members, or ASPIRANTES, as they are known, include ACLU's Anthony Romero, former Bronx Borough President and New York City democratic mayoral nominee Fernando Ferrer, Illinois politician Billy Ocasio and actor Jimmy Smits.

[7] ASPIRA was founded in New York City in 1961 by Dr. Antonia Pantoja to combat the exorbitant dropout rate among Puerto Rican high school youth.

The decree, signed August 29, 1974, established the right of New York City public school students with limited English proficiency to receive bilingual education.

Specific allegations include holding unlawful interrogations of teachers, the circulation of anti-union literature, and the singling out of union supporters for pre-textual discipline.

A complaint filed before the National Labor Relations Board also alleges that ASPIRA of Pennsylvania has threatened to lay off teachers "as a direct result of union organizing.