Education
Starting with its role in filing Morgan v. Hennigan, Boston’s school desegregation case, Lawyers for Civil Rights has worked to protect the civil and educational rights of Massachusetts’ students. Today, our Education Project addresses a variety of educational matters in charter schools and traditional public schools.
The Education Project monitors key issues of educational equity in Boston and across the Commonwealth. These issues include student assignment, transportation, school closures, teacher diversity, and other factors considered by federal courts both today and in Boston’s school desegregation order. To address these matters, the Education Project engages in litigation, policy advocacy, and administrative advocacy, including filing complaints with the U.S. Department of Education under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Education Project pays particular attention to school discipline – namely, the high rates of out-of-school punishments and school-based arrests in some charter schools and traditional public schools; and the disparate use of these practices on students of color and students with disabilities. In 2012, LCR supported the passage of a state law to curb the overuse of exclusionary punishments. Through filing civil rights complaints and engaging in public advocacy, the Education Project is working to see the law implemented faithfully and fairly.
Education Reports & Toolkits:
View our comprehensive 2018 report, Unfinished Business, and our original 2015 report, Not Measuring Up: The State of School Discipline in Massachusetts.
View our groundbreaking toolkit for students, families, teachers, and community members who want to improve discipline in their schools.
News and Resources
Nov 30, 23
Joint Statement: Walpole and Civil Rights AdvocatesOct 10, 23
Congressional Briefing on Legacy PreferencesOct 03, 23
DEI In Massachusetts Public Schools: A Legal And Practical GuideSep 12, 23
Dismantling Discriminatory Hairstyle RulesSep 05, 23
LCR’s Legal Warriors at the HNBA National ConferenceJul 26, 23
Federal Civil Rights Investigation: Harvard’s Legacy/Donor AdmissionsJul 14, 23
City of Boston Retreats from Diversity EffortsJul 03, 23
Federal Civil Rights Complaint Challenges Harvard’s Legacy AdmissionsJun 29, 23
Window Still Exists for Schools to Consider RaceFeb 02, 23
Diversifying Vocational Schools in MassachusettsOct 31, 22
LCR’s Civil Rights SummitSep 27, 22
Launching the Lauren Sampson FellowshipAug 09, 22
Defending Diversity in Higher Education in the Supreme CourtMay 23, 22
Opposition to Receivership in BostonOct 07, 21
Federal Court Rejects Admissions Challenge to Boston’s Selective Public SchoolsSep 15, 21
Closing the Digital DivideApr 28, 21
Victory! Federal Appeals Court Rejects Attempt to Hold Up School DecisionsApr 16, 21
Victory on Boston’s Selective Public Schools