Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, traveled to Selma, Alabama, yesterday to announce the Department of Education’s new civil rights program. Speaking at the historic Selma Bridge, the Boston Examiner reports that Secretary Duncan will work to ensure students of all races and genders have equal access to everything from college prep classes to science and engineering programs.

Secretary Duncan spoke about several statistics that illustrate the inequalities he and the Department will work to eradicate. He cited some of the following examples:

  • Black students without disabilities are more than three times as likely to be expelled as white students, and those with disabilities more than twice as likely to be expelled or suspended - numbers which Duncan says testify to racial gaps that are “hard to explain away by reference to the usual suspects.”
  • Students from low-income families who graduate from high school scoring in the top testing quartile are no more likely to attend college than the lowest-scoring students from wealthy families.

Assistant Secretary Ali said as part of the new effort, schools receiving federal funding will receive letters on topics covering everything from food allergies to law enforcement procedures for victims of sexual violence. If violations of the federal guidelines are found, the Education Department will work with districts and states to find a voluntary resolution. In extreme cases, Ali said funds could be withheld or ended.

In Alabama, Mr. Duncan summed up like this: “With a strict adherence to statutory and case law, we are going to make Dr. King’s dream of a colorblind society a reality.”

Related Resources:

  • Department of Education Press Release on Civil Rights Focus
  • Ed chief: Agency to review equal access at schools (AP)
  • Officials Step Up Enforcement of Rights Laws in Education (New York Times)
  • Understanding Education Discrimination (FindLaw)

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