Senate Confirms Lhamon, Education Department Must Prioritize Students’ Civil Rights 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Charmaine Riley, [email protected], 202.548.7166

WASHINGTON – Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the confirmation of Catherine Lhamon as assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education: 

“Catherine Lhamon is a superb choice to lead the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. We join with children, families, and educators today in expressing our great enthusiasm at her confirmation. Now it is time to get to work! We call on Assistant Secretary Lhamon to ensure justice and equal opportunity in our schools through robust enforcement, transparent data, and clarifying policies. We also urge Congress to provide the funds the office needs to ensure students’ rights are protected. We look forward to working with Assistant Secretary Lhamon to ensure that as a civil rights agency, the Education Department achieves its mission to advance public education and protect students’ equal opportunity.”

Last month, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, along with 76 groups, called for the confirmation of Catherine Lhamon to serve as assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 230 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 member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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