Parents Defending Education Requests Investigation into Kansas City Public Schools’ Strategic Plan for Promoting Race-Based Hiring

Parents Defending Education (PDE) has sent a letter to the Director and Regional Attorney of the Kansas City Area Office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission requesting an investigation into Kansas City Public Schools in Kansas City, Missouri for employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in violation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. §2000e et seq.

PDE makes this investigation request as an interested third-party organization with members who are parents of school children throughout the country. PDE and its members oppose racial discrimination and political indoctrination in America’s schools. Kansas City Public Schools has altered their hiring practices to hire educators based on race. Attached to this complaint is supporting evidence in the form of a strategic plan, “Blueprint 2030” (Exhibit A), which outlines its mission to hire and retain new staff, solely on the educator’s race and the District’s “About” webpage (Exhibit B), which underscores one of the District’s primary goals is to “create and implement a leadership and development program” for educators of color, and the District’s “equity, innovation, and inclusion” webpage (Exhibit C), which highlights the District’s commitment to counteract “disparities in outcomes” regarding educators and students in the District.

Kansas City Public Schools outlines four commitments in their long-term strategic plan, one of which is solely dedicated to “people-talented workforce and strong relationships” (Ex. A at 16). However, many of the mechanisms by which the District intends to meet these goals includes implementing hiring quotas directly related to an educator’s race, as opposed to their merit. The District set benchmark goals for the hiring of teachers of color. Specifically, the District intends to increase “teachers of color to 40% for 2025” and increase “teachers of color to 45% by 2030” (Ex. A at 16).

Likewise, the District boasts of plans to “develop robust career pathways” for “non-certified” teachers of color by “provid[ing] increased guidance and resources” (Ex. A at 24). Additionally, teachers of color in the District will benefit from “tutoring and scholarship opportunities” and “teacher certification programs and assessments,” that are not open to all educators in the District (Ex. A at 24).

Kansas City Public Schools likewise cannot discriminate against employees based on their race. We ask that your office promptly investigate the allegations in this complaint, act swiftly to remedy unlawful policies and practices, and order appropriate relief.