Massachusetts school faces federal investigation for 'racial segregation' after barring white students from auditioning for school play

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A theatre production at Newton North High School has landed the school district under federal investigation by the Department of Education after the company barred white students from auditioning.

The Massachusetts school's Theater Ink program put on a show titled 'Lost and Found: Our Stories as People of Color,' which according to the show's audition packet acted as 'a reserved safe space for this exploration and for people of color to be vulnerable and support one another.' 

At the time of auditions last fall, the student director posted a video to the company's website declaring that 'All BIPOC [Black, indigenous and people of color] students at North are invited to audition.'

It was at that point that the grassroots national movement Parents Defending Education got involved and filed a complaint with the federal government that the school districted discriminated against students on the basis of race.

Some of the exclusively not-white cast and crew of Newton North High School's show Lost & Found: Our Stories as People of Color

Newton North High School in an affluent suburb of Boston, Massachusetts

The claim noted that the audition criteria, which included asking students about their race and ethnic identities violated 'both Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 … and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.'

PDE President and Founder Nicole Neily told Fox that the school's administration 'failed their student body by allowing a racially-segregated production to move forward - and missed the opportunity to impart the lesson that racial discrimination is always wrong.' 

In the Lost and Found audition packet, students were told that weekly rehearsals for the production would include 'organized discussions about race and identity in our lives.'

The Newton Public School system, which is the entity being investigated by DOE, previously told Fox Digital that it is committed to encouraging all of its students to participate in the theatre program, 'particularly students of color, who have been vastly underrepresented in our programs.'

'While centered in the stories of the lives of our students of color, no one is turned away or excluded from participating or having a role in the ‘Lost and Found’ production of Theatre Ink, Newton North's teaching and working theater program,' said the district.

'The Newton Public Schools do not exclude students based upon color, race, ethnicity, or religious background.'

However, NPS also condoned and offered a message of support for the Lost and Found theatrical endeavor, seemingly offering a stamp of approval for the high schoolers' casting practices.

'We are proud of our students for the hard work they do to not only assemble a diverse group of performers, but also to challenge each other to have difficult conversations around societal issues,' said the district.

'Theatre Ink has consistently provided opportunities for students to tell and celebrate the narratives and stories of those who have been historically underrepresented.

'Amplifying the stories, experiences, and history of students of color is just one component of our diverse fine and performing arts programs,' the statement continued, additionally offering that it fully supports 'the premise and educational value of this performance.' 

One graduate of Newton North High School shared on Facebook how disheartened she was by the news that her alma mater had segregated its theatre program and is now facing an investigation.

'What on Earth, I am appalled,' she wrote, sharing a link to coverage of the story. 'This is not the High School I graduated from. We were All Tigers. Apparently not anymore. It’s Time to clean house and remove activist educators.'  

A school poster for performances of Lost and Found: Our Stories as People of Color

An invitation to BIPOC students at Newton North High School to audition for Lost and Found

Pages from Lost & Found's audition packet for students

The segment of the show's audition packet featured by PDE online

The DOE's Office of Civil Rights enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program that received federal financial assistance from DOE.

NPS is a public entity that receives federal funding, so it falls under the department's jurisdiction and must comply with federal civil rights law.

In a letter describing the ongoing investigation, DOE wrote that despite the investigation being opened, that 'in no way implies that OCR has made a determination on the merits of the complaint.'

'During the investigation, OCR is a neutral fact- finder, collecting and analyzing relevant evidence from you, the District, and other sources, as appropriate.'