Unfair Treatment: Students and Parents Face Uncertainty

The US Education Department is undergoing significant changes. These changes have left many families worried about their pending civil rights complaints. There are around 12, 000 cases waiting to be addressed. These cases involve students and parents who claim they were treated unfairly based on their race, gender, or disability. The Trump administration has made big cuts to the Education Department. They have closed several civil rights offices and changed the department's focus. This has led some people to doubt whether their cases will be handled fairly. The department's new priorities include targeting schools with diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. They have also started investigating schools that allow transgender athletes to compete in girls' sports and colleges accused of not addressing antisemitism. The department has not shared how many new complaints have been opened since Trump took office. They also have not said how many investigators are still working. However, they have resolved over 72 complaints. The outcomes of these cases are unknown. Some families have shared their stories. Two Black sisters say they were called racial slurs at school. A new mom claims her disability accommodations were changed, causing her to fall behind in graduate school. A student transferred out of his suburban high school after being called the N-word. The Boston civil rights office was shut down. This has left some families unsure about what will happen to their cases. One family's lawyer has not heard anything since the office closed. The school district found that the school should have opened a civil rights investigation into the sisters' allegations. However, they did not confirm "consistent" use of racial slurs. The Education Department has said they are committed to enforcing anti-discrimination laws. However, some former employees are worried about the department's new direction. They fear it could hurt kids and schools that are trying to do the right thing. The department has also launched a new online portal for reporting "illegal discriminatory practices. " This reflects their shifting priorities.