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U.S. Department of Education issues race-neutral school discipline guidance
The U.S. Department of Education has issued new guidance through the Office for Civil Rights, instructing school districts to implement race-neutral disciplinary policies. The guidance, issued via a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter, reverses previous Obama-era policies that focused on reducing racial disparities in student discipline.
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey stated that neither Title VI of the Civil Rights Act nor the Constitution requires schools to use race in disciplinary decisions. The department clarified that making decisions based on the racial outcomes of discipline policies constitutes race discrimination under Title VI. This move follows a 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump aimed at reinstating what the administration calls ‘commonsense’ discipline.
Additionally, the Department of Education announced new civil rights investigations into two school districts for allegedly employing race-based disciplinary practices. The department cited a 2018 report suggesting that previous federal guidance led some schools to under-report or ignore misconduct to avoid appearing to have racial disparities in their discipline data.
Entities
Donald Trump · Kimberly Richey · Office for Civil Rights · Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 · U.S. Department of Education
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] A 2018 report found that previous guidance led schools to cover up misconduct to avoid appearing to have racial disparities in discipline. www.breakingchristiannews.com · www.dailysignal.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The guidance follows a April 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump titled ‘Reinstating Commonsense School Discipline Policies’. www.breakingchristiannews.com · www.dailysignal.com
- [DISPUTED] The Office for Civil Rights guidance states that evaluating racial outcomes of discipline policies to make decisions constitutes race discrimination under Title VI. www.k12dive.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey stated that Title VI and the Constitution do not require the use of race in student discipline. www.k12dive.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Department of Education announced civil rights investigations into two school districts for allegedly using race-based disciplinary policies. www.breakingchristiannews.com · www.dailysignal.com
- [DISPUTED] The Department of Education issued guidance urging schools to avoid favoring or disfavoring students based on race in disciplinary actions. www.breakingchristiannews.com · www.k12dive.com · www.dailysignal.com