Civil and Human Rights Coalition Applauds Education Dept. Enforcement of Civil Rights Act in Toledo

WASHINGTON – Nancy Zirkin, executive vice president of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the announcement that Toledo Public Schools will voluntarily work to correct potential violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that may have led to inequitable access to experienced teachers, teachers with master’s degrees, library access, and distance learning classes for African-American students:

“Today’s announcement is a step in the right direction for Toledo schools and a sign that the district is taking the civil rights of its Black students more seriously.

Without the Department of Education’s proactive review of Toledo’s compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, these changes would not be on the horizon. We applaud the department for exercising its authority to enforce our nation’s civil rights laws instead of waiting to see if complaints come in.

These provisions were reinforced in the Every Student Succeeds Act, which passed last year, because denying access to qualified teachers and library books is anathema to our nation’s values.

But Toledo is not alone.  More than 50 years after the Civil Right Act passed, schools, districts, and states across the country are still out of compliance with this bedrock civil rights law.

We will monitor this agreement to ensure its full implementation and encourage the Department of Education to continue ensuring compliance nationwide.”

Nancy Zirkin is executive vice president 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.

###