A New York City public school has created an affinity group that appears to only be open to Black, Indigenous or Person of Color (BIPOC) parents.

PS/IS 276 Battery Park City School now has a “BIPOC/Person of the Global Majority Parent/Caregiver Affinity Group,” which is described as a space to address concerns about bias and hate. The sign-up form indicates it is limited to parents who identify as BIPOC or “Person of the Global Majority.”

In a sign-up form, the school states:

“Please complete this form if you are interested in engaging in this work and identify as a Black, Indigenous or Person of Color/Person of the Global Majority.”

In an email to parents, the principal of the school wrote that it aims to “build a positive school culture by establishing clear expectations, engaging with an inclusive curriculum, providing community members with multiple opportunities for success, and striving to expect the best from ourselves and one another.”

The email says the school will “invite Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) families to join a conversation” with the dean and a social worker and directs interested parents to a Google Form for the December meeting or future meetings.

It appears inter-racial couples that include one white parent/caregiver are limited to one person participating because the criteria to join is solely based on race.