Latest news with #ParentsDefendingEducation
New York Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Parents overwhelmingly want colleges to stop prioritizing race, allowing transgenders in girls' sports: poll
Parents want colleges and universities to place less of an emphasis on race in scholarship awards or staffing decisions — and overwhelmingly believe transgender competitors should be kept out of women's sports, a new poll shared with The Post found. A firm 54% of American parents with children between the ages of 15 and 21 oppose university policies of prioritizing race on certain scholarships, and 57% oppose hiring decisions made with a racial preference, according to a survey commissioned by Parents Defending Education, a conservative nonprofit advocacy group. On transgenderism, 60% of respondents said they don't believe transgender competitors should be allowed into women's sports, and 61% want women's bathrooms to be reserved for biological females. Advertisement 'It's no surprise that American parents and students expect a college experience that is academically rigorous, open to diverse viewpoints, and focused on preparing graduates for meaningful careers,' Paul Runko, Defending Education's director of strategic initiatives for K-12, told The Post. 'Colleges and universities should take note when families express concern about campus climates — calling for environments free from political extremism, ideological agendas, antisemitism, and campus disruptions.' 3 Parents backed antisemitism bias training for faculty and staff on college campuses. James Keivom Advertisement 3 The Trump administration has taken action against states such as Maine that allow transgender athletes to compete against biological women. AP Asked about institutions that have graduation ceremonies that are only open to students of a particular race, 57% said they are opposed to that. Across the board on many culture war issues, parents appeared uneasy with some of the politically fraught practices in colleges and universities across the country, the survey indicated. Over the past two years, anti-Israel protests have swept campuses across the country amid the Israel-Hamas war, leading to fierce debates over how administrators should respond. Advertisement Sixty-seven percent of parents believe colleges and universities should implement antisemitism bias training for faculty and staff. They also backed higher education institutions that discipline students for disrupting campus activities, 69% to 25%. Parents also generally expressed support for increased transparency in higher education. An overwhelming 82% want colleges to divulge foreign funding. A hefty 79% said that colleges and universities should prioritize American applicants over foreign ones in the admission process. Advertisement 3 Parents generally appeared to express an unease with diversity, equity and inclusion policies on campuses. Getty Images Most of the parents surveyed either have or plan on having their children enroll in college. Only 11% said their children won't attend college and 7% were unsure. The survey was taken between May 9–15 and sampled over 1,000 parents with children between the ages of 15 and 21. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Of parents surveyed, 43% considered themselves Republicans, 21% Independents and 34% Democrats.
The Guardian
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
White House opens inquiry into Chicago school program aimed at helping Black students
The US Department of Education has launched an investigation into Chicago public schools over allegations that a program aimed at improving academic outcomes among Black students violates federal law. The department has also warned that it could withhold federal funding from the district. The investigation, announced on Tuesday, is being overseen by the education department's office for civil rights and stems from a complaint filed by Parents Defending Education, a conservative group based in Virginia. The complaint targets the district's Black Student Success Plan, alleging that it 'discriminates against students on the basis of race', which the Trump administration claims violates Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs receiving federal financial assistance. In the complaint, the group alleges that the school district is 'failing students of all races and ethnicities, which makes this racially segregated program all the more egregious'. Chicago public schools described the Black Student Success Plan as being part of the system's 'commitment to eliminating educational opportunity gaps and ensuring Black students have the support needed to achieve academic success and personal growth' in a February news release announcing the initiative. The plan, which was to start this spring, includes 'implementing culturally responsive practices and instruction, ensuring equitable resource allocation, increasing the recruitment and retention of Black educators and leaders, and fostering meaningful engagement with Black students and families', according to the news release. The chief education officer of Chicago public schools, Bogdana Chkoumbova, said at the time that the district was 'committed to removing these obstacles and calls upon the community to support efforts to better serve Black students', adding: 'Together, we can create an inclusive educational environment where all students have the opportunity to thrive.' The Department of Education's investigation into the Chicago school district appears to be the first time since Trump took office again in January that the department has investigated a public school system for implementing a race-based program, according to NBC News. In a statement released on Tuesday, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights, Craig Trainor, said that Chicago public schools have a 'record of academic failure, leaving students from all backgrounds and races struggling and ill-prepared to meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards of contemporary American life'. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Trainor argued that the Black Student Success Plan 'seeks to allocate additional resources to favored students on the basis of race'. 'The Trump-McMahon Department of Education will not allow federal funds, provided for the benefit of all students, to be used in this pernicious and unlawful manner,' Trainor added. In response to the investigation announcement this week, the Chicago Teachers Union president, Stacy Davis Gates, called the probe an 'attempt to hinder the progress we are striving to achieve'. 'Rather than using the department to create opportunities for students, Trump and McMahon appear determined to transform it into a debt collection agency and a vehicle to dismantle the civil rights protections that support students and their families,' Davis Gates added.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Feds probe Chicago Public Schools over alleged racial discrimination in Black Student Success Plan
The federal government launched an investigation into Chicago Public Schools on Tuesday related to allegations of discrimination in the district's Black Student Success Plan. The plan to uplift Black students was solidified in 2021 legislation creating an elected school board. Activists who championed it argued that Black students were uniquely positioned to fail due to long-standing racial inequalities in Chicago and the result of historic and ongoing discrimination in the United States. But students of all races struggle academically in Chicago, according to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights on Tuesday. The release acknowledged that the CPS had organized dozens of meetings with community members to implement the plan. It cited district data reporting low reading levels for Black students, but said that Latino students face even more difficulties. 'Rather than address its record honestly, CPS seeks to allocate additional resources to favored students on the basis of race,' Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights, is quoted as saying in the release. District officials said in a statement that CPS 'does not comment on ongoing investigations.' The Black Student Success Plan is codified in and mandated by state law, officials said. Among other commitments, the plan aims to increase the number of Black educators, work to reduce disciplinary actions against Black students and increase efforts to teach Black history and culture in classrooms. The district initially released its blueprint for improving educational outcomes for Black students in February. It was immediately challenged by a group with a history of scorning race-based policies, called Parents Defending Education. The Department of Education's announcement of its investigation refers to that group's complaint, which alleged the district's Black Student Success Plan 'violates Title VI by focusing on remedial measures only for Black students.' Parents Defending Education also filed a complaint against a similar initiative in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Tuesday's investigation announcement is part of a series of government actions targeting the school district. In March, the federal government opened an investigation into CPS and the state for alleged violations of sex discrimination under Title IX. President Donald Trump's administration threatened to withhold funding from school districts earlier this month for failing to comply with civil rights law. Trump has also requested state compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, referencing 'certain DEI practices' or 'illegal DEI.' Tony Sanders, state superintendent of education, wrote a letter in response that the Illinois State Board of Education 'will comply with Title VI and its implementing regulation' and that 'there are no federal or State laws prohibiting diversity, equity, or inclusion.' District leaders have thus far stood strong in the face of threats on their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. At a board meeting last week, school board members solidified their commitment to the plan by codifying the Black Student Success Committee, chaired by longtime education activist Jitu Brown, of District 5 on the West Side.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Olentangy schools defends LGBTQ+ anti-bullying policies in federal court
LEWIS CENTER, Ohio (WCMH) — A central Ohio school district returned to federal court last week to defend its anti-bullying policies protecting LGBTQ+ students that were challenged by a national conservative organization. All 16 judges on the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati heard arguments Wednesday in the case challenging Olentangy Local School District's policies against misgendering, the act of referring to another person by using pronouns that don't align with their identity. A group called Parents Defending Education has long argued the policies violate the First Amendment rights of religious students who 'don't want to be forced to affirm' transgender classmates. 'Common sense says that Olentangy's policies aren't helping students by compelling their peers to parrot words they don't really believe,' said Cam Norris, the organization's attorney. 'They are harming them by teaching them that different world views should be silenced and banned, not understood and rebutted.' Ohio higher education bill one step closer to law Olentangy schools noted the policies haven't been used to discipline a student, and argued they're meant to protect all, not just those who are trans, from experiencing harassment. The district argued the policies are part of their duty to foster 'a secure environment conducive to learning' and that they do not impede student discussions on their views of identity. 'The only thing they can't do is repeatedly make comments about these issues that are directed to a particular student, including be repeatedly and intentionally misgendering,' said Jamie Santos, Olentangy's attorney. 'Just because a student should be able to say that the body positivity movement is harmful and encourages obesity, doesn't mean a school has to allow that student to call a classmate fat.' Still, several members of the 16-judge court were reluctant to agree that the policies are necessary given bullying and harassment are already prohibited by the district's code of conduct. When Judge Chad Readler asked why Olentangy needed specific pronoun policies, Santos said they allow the district to 'proactively make sure something doesn't rise to the level of a [classroom] disruption.' Could a ballot measure overturn Ohio's same-sex marriage bans? Santos pointed to studies that show misgendering is harmful to trans students. Research from The Trevor Project found 49% of LGBTQ+ youth in the U.S. experienced bullying in the last year, and trans youth that said their school is gender-affirming also reported lower rates of attempting suicide. Ohio Solicitor General Elliot Gaiser spoke on behalf of 22 U.S. states who support Parents Defending Education, and reiterated concerns Olentangy could use the policies to punish students with opposing viewpoints. Gaiser said the district can't 'treat one side of the debate as harassment or silence dissenters by labeling them bullies,' and claimed students who use 'biological pronouns' for trans classmates do so in the 'most respectful way.' Parents Defending Education filed the complaint against the district in May 2023, which was initially rejected by a U.S. district court in August of that year. The group then appealed to the Sixth Circuit where a three-judge panel also rejected the suit in August 2024 and said the organization hadn't convincingly argued that the policies should be blocked, and noted students who don't want to use their classmates' preferred pronouns may refer to them using first names. DeWine attends signing of executive order to dismantle Department of Education Shortly after, Parents Defending Education was joined by the 22 states in asking the Sixth Circuit to rehear the case. The Sixth Circuit then decided in early November it would revisit the suit with all 16 active judges on the court. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio also weighed in, filing an amicus brief last December that argued 'neither the school nor the parent group got things entirely right,' and said it agrees that the district cannot categorically ban or punish all instances of a student using a classmate's non-preferred pronouns. However, as a group committed to protecting LGBTQ students, the ACLU said some instances of misgendering are not immune from school discipline when they cause a disruption or create a hostile environment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas City Public Schools finds itself embroiled in a DEI fight
A Virginia-based group, Parents Defending Education, has filed a complaint alleging that a Kansas City Public Schools effort to hire more Black and Latino teachers is discriminatory (Credit/Kansas City Public Schools). Black children do better in school if during their academic journey they can connect with a teacher who looks like them. The same goes for Latino students and children from other minority groups. 'The data is clear,' said Cornell Ellis, executive director of Brothers Liberating Our Communities, a Kansas City nonprofit known as BLOC that supports Black male educators. 'The barriers for learning are lower when students and teachers have similar language, experiences and culture.' That knowledge has guided teacher recruiting efforts for many school districts, especially those like Kansas City Public Schools, where 52% of the student enrollment is Black, 29% is Latino and only 10% is white. Recruiting minority teachers has been touted as a best practice. Now, it is incendiary. On Jan. 9, as students and teachers were settling back into class from winter break, a complaint against KCPS was filed with the Kansas City area office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. It came from a Virginia-based group, Parents Defending Education, and it alleged that hiring practices at KCPS are discriminatory. 'PDE and its members oppose racial discrimination and political indoctrination in America's schools,' the letter states. It accuses KCPS of 'implementing hiring quotas directly related to an educator's race, as opposed to their merit.' As evidence, the complaint cites a district strategic plan adopted in 2023 and revised since. Known as Blueprint 2030, the document sets goals to increase the representation of minority teachers to 40% by this year, and 45% by 2030. Currently, 38% of the district's teachers are Black or Hispanic. The complaint was a sign of things to come. Eleven days after it was filed, Donald Trump became president and launched a full-throttle crusade against all things related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Trump's Department of Education has opened a formal tip line just for DEI allegations. It has threatened to yank federal funding from schools that use race-based practices in hiring, admissions and any other practice. In Missouri, Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order banning state agencies from considering race in hiring decisions. Bills under consideration in the Missouri legislature would outlaw any state funding for DEI initiatives and impose penalties for school districts that teach what one sponsor calls 'divisive concepts.' Lost in the blizzard of orders and threats is a trove of research explaining why school districts, especially those who serve minority students, are seeking qualified minority teachers. 'We're stuck in an echo chamber of narratives,' Ellis said. 'And the data is not part of those narratives.' Numerous studies have shown that a minority student's chances of graduating from high school increase dramatically if the child is paired with at least one teacher of the same race or ethnicity, especially in elementary school. David Blazar, an associate professor at the University of Maryland, has released recent findings suggesting that white students may also benefit from a Black teacher. His data shows improved math and reading test scores and less chronic absenteeism in classrooms with Black teachers, who tend to form strong bonds with students and families and run well-organized classrooms with a positive atmosphere. The move against DEI will likely dampen efforts to diversify teacher workforces, Blazar said. 'I think we very much can expect to see cases like this being brought about in the near future across the country, arguing that teacher diversity missions are quota-driven and are discriminatory,' he said, referring to the EEOC complaint in Kansas City. 'There is scientific evidence about the importance of Black teachers to Black students and non-Black students,' Blazar said. 'There are practical reasons for why we need more teachers in schools. And so I am disheartened that this current push is being called out as discriminatory.' Parents Defending Education describes itself as a 'grassroots organization working to reclaim our schools from activists imposing harmful agendas.' It solicits tips from the public and has filed complaints and lawsuits against school districts around the nation. Most are focused on hiring but others center on the makeup of student clubs and employee groups; policies related to the sexual and gender identity of students; and policies regarding speech. The Beacon was unable to reach anyone at Parents Defending Education to ask how the complaint against KCPS originated. Derald Davis, the district's deputy superintendent, said the premise was erroneous. 'KCPS does not and will not use racial quotas in our hiring,' he said. 'Our focus is on creating the best educational environment for our students and we welcome any conversation to further clarify our policies and practices.' To support its goal of hiring more minority teachers, the district's strategic plan calls for: Creating opportunities for school staffers to become certified teachers. Providing scholarships for KCPS students to obtain college teaching degrees. Establishing relationships with colleges and universities that serve Black and Latino students. Supporting teachers once they are hired. Blueprint 2030 also pledges that the district will 'evaluate and adjust the hiring process with a core focus on improving equitable and diverse hiring practices' — a commitment that Parents Defending Education labeled 'unorthodox.' Davis describes it as student-centered. 'There is not a single hiring committee or hiring protocol that focuses on race,' he said. 'We're confident in our hiring practices and remain committed to transparency and compliance with all relevant laws.' KCPS reaches out to educators of all races, Davis said, in part because, like many school districts around the nation, it faces a chronic teacher shortage. 'We're looking for teachers of all races, all backgrounds, different lived experiences to reflect all of the diversity of the students and families we serve,' he said. 'Our commitment to diversity is about raising standards, not lowering them. I just want to make it clear that in KCPS we do not see having a more diverse teacher population as being at odds with merit.' For Edgar Palacios, the complaint filed against KCPS is another unwelcome distraction from the hard work of educating children. 'It is time for us to come together to understand that education is what makes the American Dream accessible,' said Palacios, founder and CEO of Latinx Education Collaborative, a Kansas City-based nonprofit that seeks to benefit Latino youth, in part by getting Latino teachers into classrooms. 'Teachers hold the key to that accessibility,' he said. 'And so it's time for us to figure out how to support and encourage our educators to thrive, versus fighting these ridiculous battles.' The Latinx Education Collaborative, in partnership with the Urban Education Research Center, published in 2019 the most up-to-date study of teacher representation in the Kansas City area. It showed that 40% of students in public K-12 schools on the Missouri side of the region were from minority groups, while teachers of color made up 9% of the teaching ranks. Black teachers accounted for 6%. The representation of Latino teachers was less than 2%. On the Kansas side of the region, the representation of minority students was similar to Missouri, almost 40%. Only 5% of teachers were from minority groups, with Black teachers accounting for almost 3% of that sliver. Fewer than 1% of teachers at the time were Latino. Palacios said he's 'seen some movement' since then, and the collaborative is three years into a concerted effort to see 50 new Latino educators hired in Kansas City area classrooms by 2027. The collaborative does not rely on federal or state funding, but Palacios is watching to see what the anti-DEI push will mean for his nonprofit. 'We're still unclear on what the impact will be from a philanthropic perspective,' he said. Regardless of that impact, Palacios plans to continue speaking out. 'We're constantly looking for ways to improve the way that we do our work,' he said. 'And I think we are going to double down on the idea that diversity, equity, inclusion matters, that we understand the impact of having a diverse teacher workforce. That might be a dangerous position to take at this moment, but the only way forward is to stand up to some of the craziness that's happening.' Ellis, the BLOC executive director, said his group has no plans to veer from its mission of increasing and supporting the ranks of Black teachers. It may talk about its work a bit differently, however. 'We'll be talking less about DEI,' he said. 'We'll be talking less about some of those buzzwords and trigger words that are being targeted. That doesn't mean that we're going to do the work any differently, though.' Working in Missouri, Ellis already has learned the significance of word choice when he testifies at legislative hearings in Jefferson City. 'If you show up and start talking about Black male teachers, they turn you off,' he said. 'So I talk about representative teachers. I talk about teachers that simply look like our students, teachers that represent the families and communities that we are serving. That's not going to change.' Davis, the KCPS deputy superintendent, said the district has received no word from the EEOC office regarding the Parents Defending Education complaint and has not drafted a response. KCPS has no plans to rein in its effort to recruit more teachers overall and more teachers of color specifically, Davis said. 'We're going about expanding our talent pool, considering a broad range of experiences and qualifications to enhance the overall quality of our teacher workforce,' he said. The district is doing one thing differently, though. For some time it has operated a Department of Equity, Inclusion and Innovation that helps students with the college application process. The language on its webpage received a mention in the Parents Defending Education complaint. Going forward, Davis said, that office will become the Department of Post-Secondary Access and Student Success. This article first appeared on Beacon: Kansas City and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
