OCR COMPLAINT: District of Columbia Public Schools

Parents Defending Education (PDE) has sent a letter to the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights requesting an investigation into District of Columbia Public Schools in Washington, DC for discrimination on the basis of race in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance in violation of both Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

PDE makes this complaint as an interested third-party organization with members who are parents of school children throughout the country. PDE and its members oppose discrimination on the basis of race and political indoctrination in America’s schools. District of Columbia Public Schools has affinity group programming that is not open to all students. The District allows only some students to participate in affinity group programming and participation is based on their race.

Attached to this complaint is evidence in the form of an “Empowerment Club” flyer, which describes a student affinity group for Black girls (Exhibit A) and a permission slip for the Empowerment Club, which outlines the affinity group programming and how it specifically targets first through fifth graders (Exhibit B).

Accordingly, we ask that the Department promptly investigate the allegations in this complaint, act swiftly to remedy unlawful policies and practices, and order appropriate relief.