Education A National Roundup

Legal Group Fights Race-Based Policies in Los Angeles District

By Rhea R. Borja — October 18, 2005 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A legal-advocacy group has filed two lawsuits against the Los Angeles Unified School District, alleging that certain district policies violate Proposition 209, an amendment to the California Constitution barring public entities from using race or ethnicity in decisionmaking.

The Sacramento-based American Civil Rights Institute—whose founder and chairman is Ward Connerly, a chief architect of the amendment approved in 1996—wants the Los Angeles district to stop using race to determine where students attend school and where teachers will work.

One of the lawsuits, which were filed in Los Angeles County superior court on Oct. 12, attacks the district’s voluntary-busing policy and its popular magnet school program, which seeks to ensure racial and ethnic diversity in enrollment.

The other takes issue with the district’s policy of placing teachers in schools according to race.

“The school district is sending the wrong message to our kids, that it’s OK to categorize people by the color of their skin,” said Sharon Browne, the principal lawyer for the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation in Sacramento, which is representing the institute.

The organization has a similar lawsuit pending against the Capistrano Unified School District.

Kevin Reed, the general counsel for the Los Angeles schools, said the lawsuits’ argument is “without merit.” A desegregation order imposed by a federal court is in effect in the district, he said, and that trumps a state amendment.

A version of this article appeared in the October 19, 2005 edition of Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
Creating Resilient Schools with a Trauma-Responsive MTSS
Join us to learn how school leaders are building a trauma-responsive MTSS to support students & improve school outcomes.
School & District Management Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: We Can’t Engage Students If They Aren’t Here: Strategies to Address the Absenteeism Conundrum
Absenteeism rates are growing fast. Join Peter DeWitt and experts to learn how to re-engage students & families.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Quiz ICYMI: Trump Moves to Shift Special Ed Oversight And More
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
President Donald Trump signs an executive order on TikTok in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.
President Donald Trump signs an executive order on TikTok in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington.
Evan Vucci/AP
Education Quiz ICYMI: Judge Orders Teacher-Prep Grants Restored And Other Trending News This Week
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Image of the Supreme Court.
iStock/Getty
Education Briefly Stated: March 19, 2025
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Quiz How Much Do You Know: Ed. Dept.'s Mass Layoffs and More This Week
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Illustration of 2 hands cutting paper dolls with scissors, representing staffing layoffs.
iStock/Getty