CCSD on national list for ‘possible civil rights violations’

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights said the list, which is updated weekly, includes educational institutions that are being investigated for possible “discrimination involving shared ancestry.”

CCSD was placed on the list of open Title VI shared ancestry investigations on Nov. 21.

An institution named on this list means that OCR has initiated an investigation of a case concerning that institution. Inclusion on the list does not mean that OCR has made a decision about the case.

“Hate has no place in our schools, period. When students are targeted because they are — or are perceived to be — Jewish, Muslim, Arab, Sikh, or any other ethnicity or shared ancestry, schools must act to ensure safe and inclusive educational environments where everyone is free to learn,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said. “These investigations underscore how seriously the Biden-Harris Administration, including the U.S. Department of Education, takes our responsibility to protect students from hatred and discrimination.”

According to the Department of Education, Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin against students of any religion, such as students who are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, or Buddhist, when the discrimination, for example, involves the following:

Racial, ethnic, or ancestral slurs or stereotypes

How a student looks, including skin color, physical features, or style of dress that reflects both ethnic and religious traditions

A foreign accent; a foreign name, including names commonly associated with particular shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics; or speaking a foreign language.

CCSD officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com.