On March 30, 2021, Parents Defending Education filed a complaint against Orange County Schools in Hillsborough, North Carolina, with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. The complaint claims the district is breaking Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, a law that bans discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs that receive federal funds.
On September 2, 2020, the district sent an email to all staff on behalf of its Chief Equity Officer, Dr. Dena Keeling, announcing that the district “will begin holding Affinity Spaces.” Dr. Keeling wrote: “our first Affinity Space is for African American Staff. We are making these African American Affinity Spaces available starting this week and we will continue to make these spaces available throughout the year.” The email said the district planned to support students next and to make Affinity Spaces “available for other identity groups.” These affinity spaces segregate staff on the basis of race, and so violate federal law.
Defending Education urges the Department to investigate every claim in its complaint, fix Orange County Schools’ illegal policies and practices, and order the right remedies.
Read the full complaint below:
