Trump administration investigates school district near Chicago amid reports of 'antiracist training'
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has launched an investigation into an Illinois school district based on a teacher's allegations of racial segregation practices, according to a press release.
The complaint, filed by the Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF) on behalf of teacher Dr. Stacy Deemar, alleges Evanston-Skokie School District 65 is acting in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by using "privilege walks" and other racial practices at school.
"The policies and practices to which the District allegedly subjects students and teachers shocks the conscience. Amid a dismal academic achievement record, the District appears to focus on unlawfully segregating students by race, instructing students to step forward and others to step back on the basis of race, and associating 'Whiteness' with the devil. If true, how is this conceivable in America today?" Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said in a press release on May 1 by the Trump Education Department.
Under the first Trump administration, the Department of Education previously pursued the school district for violating Title VI in a finding that was later suspended by the Biden administration, according to ABC7 Chicago. Deemar has alleged that the district engages in "antiracist training" and "race-based programming."
"After four long years of the Biden Administration's tolerance for this kind of conduct, the American people returned President Trump to office to end this madness and enforce Title VI. This Department of Education will not allow districts that receive federal funding to become safe spaces for racial segregation or any other unlawful discriminatory practices," Trainor said.
"SLF is thankful that the Trump Administration recognizes that enough is enough and, following Dr. Deemar's new OCR complaint, has launched an investigation into unconscionable racial discrimination in District 65 - Evanston, IL," Southeastern Legal Foundation Executive Director Kimberly Hermann said in a statement.
She acknowledged that the Biden administration withdrew the litigation originally filed by the first Trump administration.
"Ever since the wrongful withdrawal four years ago of the Department of Education's finding that District 65's racial segregation, equity training, discipline policy, and other racially discriminatory policies violated America's civil rights laws, Dr. Deemar has waited patiently for the harms inflicted by the Biden Administration to be rectified," Hermann said.
"For the sake of our children and our country, the time to restore equality and reclaim civil liberties is now," she added.
Evanston-Skokie School District 65 did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
A spokesperson for the district did provide a statement to ABC7 Chicago, saying, "We are a diverse school district committed to equity and to ensuring that every child gets what they need and deserve to reach their full potential. It remains our responsibility to meet every child where they are and to ensure continued growth."
"The District will continue to fulfill the intent and promise of equal protection and nondiscrimination embodied in the Constitution and our nation's civil rights laws. The complaint misrepresents our District's lawful and important professional learning and student-focused initiatives that are designed to advance the work of ensuring that ALL students have access and opportunity to a robust, high quality education," the statement continued.
"The District will fully comply with the OCR investigation to help ensure a just and expeditious resolution," it added.
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