Scott Statement on New Department of Education Office of Civil Rights Report

WASHINGTON – House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA) released the following statement on a new report from the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education examining the state of civil rights enforcement in schools across America, from pre-K to post-secondary education:  

 

“The Office of Civil Rights’ “Protecting Civil Rights, Advancing Equity” report – based on data collected from approximately 97,000 public schools and about 49 million students nationwide – serves as a transparency tool to help us identify opportunity gaps in our nation’s school districts.  

 

“When nearly 40 percent of districts do not offer preschool programs, and nationwide, one in five high schools lacks a guidance counselor, the opportunity gap widens. 

 

“Fifty-years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act, our nation still struggles with disparities in school discipline, early childhood education, teacher equity, and college readiness. Accountability is needed to ensure access to quality education from early childhood to young adulthood, and to ensure all children can be treated fairly without the burden of discrimination. 

 

“It is astonishing that at a time when the Department of Education has received nearly 10,000 civil rights complaints, it has had the lowest staffing level in the last 34 years. While the Department’s Office of Civil Rights has increased transparency by releasing this data and posting resolution agreements on its website, policymakers must properly fund the agency to ensure that our nation’s students are free from the burden of discrimination and its costs to individuals and our society.  

 

The “Protecting Civil Rights and Advancing Equity” report can be viewed here.