An Ohio school district faces federal scrutiny over alleged discriminatory hiring practices, sparking debate on diversity initiatives in education.
DEI is getting completely out of hand.
At a Glance
- Middletown City School District’s “Admiral Squad” initiative accused of discriminatory hiring
- Parents Defending Education (PDE) filed a federal complaint against the district
- The program allegedly targets only black male teachers, raising legal concerns
- District claims compliance with federal law, citing underrepresentation of black male educators
- Case highlights ongoing national debate on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools
Federal Complaint Filed Against Ohio School District
The Middletown City School District in Ohio has come under federal investigation following a complaint filed by Parents Defending Education (PDE), a national organization advocating for parents’ rights in education. The complaint alleges that the district’s “Admiral Squad” initiative, aimed at increasing the number of black male teachers, violates federal employment laws by discriminating based on race and sex.
PDE’s complaint asserts that the district’s program illegally excludes teachers of other races and genders, potentially infringing on equal employment opportunities mandated by federal statutes. The organization’s stance reflects broader concerns about the implementation of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies in educational institutions across the nation.
District’s Defense and Program Goals
In response to the allegations, Middletown City School District maintains that its “Admiral Squad” initiative complies with federal employment regulations. The district argues that the program is a strategic effort to address the significant underrepresentation of Black male teachers within their educational staff. Their hiring model includes ambitious goals, such as increasing the number of Black male educators by 50% and developing a diverse pipeline of teachers.
“Schools should be focused on making training and resources available to ALL teachers, not arbitrarily excluding teachers and staff based on race. This is a blatant violation of employment laws and it’s why we are calling for an investigation into this program. Students and teachers deserve better than a system that chooses divisiveness over results,” Michele Exner said.
The district plans to collaborate with universities and the He is Me Institute to support Black males interested in teaching careers. A representative from the district claims that the program is open to educators of any race or sex, despite the focused recruitment efforts.
Legal Implications and Precedents
The case against Middletown City School District raises important questions about the legality of race-focused hiring initiatives in educational settings. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. Recent legal actions in Ohio highlight the seriousness with which such allegations are treated.
“As the Commission is aware, ‘the important purpose of Title VII’ is ‘that the workplace be an environment free of discrimination, where race is not a barrier to opportunity’,” Parents Defending Education stated.
In a separate but related case, the Justice Department recently reached a settlement with the Groveport Madison Local School District Board of Education in Ohio over Title VII violations. This settlement addressed allegations of race discrimination and retaliation against a former assistant principal who opposed a discriminatory dress code policy affecting African-American students.
The Middletown case is not isolated. PDE has filed similar complaints against other districts, including Minnesota’s Rochester Public Schools and California’s La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District, for alleged race-based hiring practices. These cases collectively underscore the complex challenges faced by school districts as they attempt to balance diversity initiatives with legal compliance.
Thank goodness there are people out there fighting against left-wing racism and discrimination in our schools.