The Leadership Conference Praises Swift Investigation Into OCR Complaints, Calls for More Resources for Civil Rights Enforcement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mattie Goldman, [email protected]
WASHINGTON — Liz King, senior director for education equity at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement after the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published its FY 23 annual report:
“The release of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) FY 2023 annual report shows an urgent need for more resources and staff to carry out its mission. Although we commend OCR for its attention to thorough and rapid investigations of complaints, especially in a year with the highest number of complaints filed on record, too many students are still waiting. This record number of complaints — more than 19,000 — demonstrates that more students, parents, teachers, and administrators are aware of the role that OCR plays in protecting students from discrimination. But, it also reflects alarming discrimination in our schools. We cannot allow the bigoted few to continue to spread hate and whitewash our history unchecked. Every adult has a role to play in protecting our nation’s students from harassment.
“As OCR continues its mandate of civil rights enforcement, the civil rights community will continue to call on the department to provide guidance and technical assistance to prevent discrimination from occurring. The department must finalize the Title IX athletics rule to make clear that all kids have the right to play, grow, and thrive. Every student deserves to feel safe, welcome, and included in their classrooms, and today’s annual report makes clear that OCR has more work to do to create the educational environments that help our nation thrive.”
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 240 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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