Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Why Do Black Parents Have to File Lawsuits to Achieve Educational Justice?! - Philly's 7th Ward

Why Do Black Parents Have to File Lawsuits to Achieve Educational Justice?! - Philly's 7th Ward

WHY DO BLACK PARENTS HAVE TO FILE LAWSUITS TO ACHIEVE EDUCATIONAL JUSTICE?!


Upper Dublin, a district outside of Philadelphia, recently settled a discrimination case that was filed with the U.S. Department of Education by Black families and the Public Interest Law Center four years ago. One more reason why Secretary DeVos’s moves to dismantle the Civil Rights Office at the U.S. Department of Education must be challenged and thwarted.  
I previously wrote about Upper Dublin High School, a school in a very wealthy district with brazen, in-your-face racist practices. While Black students made up less than 8% of the student population, they were disproportionately suspended – almost 50% of all suspended students were Black.  
But, the discrimination didn’t stop there (when does it?). Students were routinely tracked to less rigorous courses. Even if a Black student received high grades in middle school, they were not rostered to high school Honors courses. Now, why would that be?
Senator Hughes, who has worked to highlight the racist school funding that CONTINUE READING: Why Do Black Parents Have to File Lawsuits to Achieve Educational Justice?! - Philly's 7th Ward