Parents Defending Education Requests Investigation into District of Columbia Public Schools Providing Race-Based Programming for Students

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.

In a Resolution Agreement with OCR, the district agreed that its programs and activities would be “open to all students . . . regardless of their race” and to adopt policies and training to ensure the district’s compliance. OCR imposed these requirements even though the district had promised “not to hold such events in the future.” 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.