The U.S. Department of Justice has filed suit against Minneapolis Public Schools, accusing Minnesota’s third-largest district of providing discriminatory protections to teachers of color in layoff and reassignment decisions.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Minnesota, marks the Trump administration’s latest salvo against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives—in this case, the district’s efforts to bolster its minority teaching ranks.
At issue is a contract agreement with educators that includes language shielding teachers of color from “last-in, first-out” layoff practices and prioritizing the hiring of black male educators at a north Minneapolis elementary school.
“Discrimination is unacceptable in all forms, especially when it comes to hiring decisions,” U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a news release Wednesday. “Our public education system in Minnesota and across the country must be a bastion of merit and equal opportunity—not DEI.”
Her office alleges that the contract provisions favoring “underrepresented” groups violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and it seeks a permanent injunction against their use and the adoption of any similar language.
A Minneapolis district spokeswoman said Wednesday she could not comment on pending litigation.
Three years ago, Minneapolis Public Schools agreed to the seniority-disrupting contract language as part of a deal to end a three-week teachers strike.
Under the agreement, teachers from “underrepresented” populations were exempted from seniority-based layoffs and reassignments, as well as prioritized for reinstatement over teachers with more seniority who were not minority group members.
“While defendants claim that these provisions are to stop discrimination, they require defendants to blatantly discriminate against teachers based on their race, color, sex and national origin,” the federal lawsuit states.
A previous state district court lawsuit seeking to declare the contract illegal was dismissed by the Minnesota Supreme Court earlier this year because the court said the Minneapolis taxpayer for whom it was brought lacked legal standing.
Students of color comprise nearly two-thirds of the district’s total student population, and Minneapolis Public Schools, like many districts around the state, has sought to place teachers whom students can relate to and aspire to be like.
The lawsuit notes the district aims to increase the percentage of people of color holding teaching and other staff positions from about 38% in 2023 to at least 40% in 2026. It also alleges the district’s claim that “past discrimination ... resulted in a lack of diversity of teachers” was not backed by any facts or analysis.
