Parents group files civil rights complaint against Colorado school district over policies in union agreement
The agreement directed the school to create mentoring and development programs for educators of color, without opening the programs up to all employees
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Parents Defending Education has filed a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education over an agreement with the teachers union which stipulated the district will create mentoring and development programs for educators of color, without opening the programs up to all employees.
The complaint was filed against the Jefferson Public Schools in Jefferson, Colorado, "for discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance in violation of both Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 … and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution."
"PDE makes this complaint as an interested third-party organization that opposes racial discrimination and political indoctrination in America’s schools," the complaint read.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}EDUCATION DEPT. TO INVESTIGATE RACIAL AFFINITY GROUPS AT NEW YORK CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL
Parents attending a local school board meeting.
The collective bargaining agreement between the Jefferson County Education Association and the school district stipulated several programs be implemented by the district for teachers of color, without opening the programs up to all employees.
The agreement notes the district and union will collaborate to "create a safe space for educators of color to meet and support each other," create a "mentorship program for educators of color in the District to be mentored by more experienced educators of color," and "implement programs to support current educators of color in obtaining leadership licenses and gain employment in administration and leadership roles within the district."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(istock)
"At no point in the entire 104-page Master Negotiated Agreement does the document assert that these opportunities are open to all employees," the complaint from Parents Defending Education says.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The agreement also stipulates that the district will "actively recruit individuals of color and other underrepresented groups for [an] Equity Ombuds position."
"Regardless of the intention, it is illegal to treat people differently on the basis of skin color, which is why we flagged this as an OCR complaint," Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education told Fox News Digital.
School supplies. (iStock)
Another union agreement between the Minneapolis Public Schools and the Minneapolis teachers union stated that teachers from "underrepresented populations" would be laid-off before White teachers, and Neily said these agreements may become more common.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MINNESOTA TEACHERS COULD FACE ‘RACIAL CONSCIOUSNESS’ STANDARD IN NEW TEACHING LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
Teachers unions are "putting their politics well above any student well-being, or any objective measure of students succeeding in school."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"If this is something that is being driven from the top, I have no doubt this is going to trickle down into local collective bargaining agreements with districts," Neily said.