Conservative Group Claims Oakland Unified Programs Discriminate Against White Students
Oakland Unified School District’s Latino Men and Boys program and Latinx Mentoring and Achievement program are aimed at helping Latino youth improve outcomes in their personal lives and studies, but a conservative-parents group claims the initiatives are discriminatory.
The nonprofit Defending Education filed a federal civil rights complaint this week with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging the district violated Titles VI and IX of federal civil rights law by discriminating based on sex and race.
“Over the past decade, OUSD has offered racially discriminatory programs to students ranging from high school seniors to three-year-old preschoolers,” the nonprofit said in a statement. “These programs provide additional academic support, mentoring, and even cash payments based on students’ race and sex.”
Defending Education said the Latino Men and Boys program offers services that aren’t offered to white students, and the Latinx Mentoring and Achievement program for female-identifying and nonbinary students discriminates based on gender.
The Unity Council, which helps operate the Latino student programs, did not respond to a request for comment, nor did the school district.
On its website, the Unity Council said the programs “significantly increase” graduation rates and promote healthy lifestyles. Advocates, including those in the Bay Area, say such programs are necessary to level the playing field for students.
Defending Education’s complaint, which urges the Office of Civil Rights to open an investigation into the district, isn’t the first time the group has made such claims.
Under the name “Parents Defending Education,” the conservative group claimed that San Leandro Unified discriminated against other students by offering programming specifically for Black boys.
Then, in San Francisco Unified, the organization raised concerns over an ethnic studies curriculum that was ultimately adopted.
The parents’ organization is, according to its website, dedicated to “working to restore schools at all levels from activists imposing harmful agendas.” An “IndoctriNation Map” on the site identifies incidents of diversity, equity and inclusion, ethnic studies, “indoctrination,” and other programs in schools across the country.
Its allegations against Bay Area districts, including the most recent against Oakland Unified, are tied to a nationwide movement by conservative leaders to end DEI and initiatives related to ethnic studies in K-12 schools.
In President Donald Trump’ssecond term, he signed an executive order that called on the government to remove funding from schools that implement such programming.
Leaders in the West Contra Costa Unified School District suggested that the administration’s cutback on such services caused it to lose a mental health grant focusing on diversity.
The Office of Civil Rights has not said whether it will open an investigation into Oakland Unified.