Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Dept. of Education Guidance to Advance Resource Equity for Minority Students

WASHINGTON –Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement after the Department of Education issued  guidance clarifying how federal law mandates equitable distribution of resources to students under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and how the Department will enforce these provisions in the states, among school districts, and in schools: 

“Today’s announcement marks the biggest leap forward in advancing resource equity for minority students in memory. By taking a muscular approach to enforcing our nation’s civil rights laws on behalf of students, the Department of Education is renewing its historic commitment to ensuring that all students receive the educational opportunities they are entitled to under the law.

Sixty years since the Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board, states and districts across the country continue to undermine the principle of equality and fairness in education. Our public schools, now majority-minority, are bastions of state-sponsored inequality and segregation. In Texas, Kansas and other states, deprived students have turned to state courts to keep school doors open, fix dilapidated facilities, and provide textbooks and other basic materials. Until resources are provided to address these shameful conditions, states will be incapable of honoring commitments to narrow achievement gaps and reduce dropout rates. This guidance will provide a roadmap for states to  counter this deprivation in minority schools and avoid the burdensome litigation that some families must pursue to enforce the rights of their children.   

This guidance is not a panacea for the deep-rooted disparities in our nation’s schools.  It is a commitment from the federal government to continue delivering on its historic obligation to protect students from discrimination. That is a welcome and noteworthy step forward and we applaud Secretary Duncan and Assistant Secretary Lhamon for their continuing commitment to ensuring fairness and equality for all students.”

Wade Henderson is president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its 200-plus member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.