In a recent lawsuit, Los Angeles is accused of discriminating against white students by providing benefits such as smaller class sizes to public schools with predominantly non-white students.
The 1776 Project Foundation filed a lawsuit in the federal court of California on January 20, alleging that the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) “participates and openly promotes a plan of overt discrimination against a new minority group – white students.”
Officials in the Los Angeles Unified School District categorize each student into different ethnic groups, resulting in schools being classified as primarily Hispanic, Black, Asian, other non-Anglo groups, or white.
For schools where at least 70% of students are from non-Anglo groups, the district provides smaller class sizes, higher parental involvement, more staff, and extra points in the application process for Magnet Schools, which offer specialized thematic programs.
The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second-largest school district in the U.S., with over 600,000 students. The plaintiffs claim that the district has violated the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Michael DiNardo, Chief Lawyer of the 1776 Project Foundation, stated in a press release, “These policies are not only unfair but unconstitutional. They were initially meant as temporary measures to address segregation, but have now evolved into a system with racial preferences, depriving thousands of students of equal opportunities.”
The policy originated from a court order in 1981 related to abolishing segregation.
The 1776 Project Foundation is a non-profit organization aiming to advocate for equal rights by opposing racial discrimination in public education.
According to the lawsuit, at least one member of the foundation resides in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and their children attend schools in the district.
The plaintiffs state that a parent referred to as Parent A has two underage children belonging to non-Anglo groups, whose school did not receive benefits like smaller class sizes, thus being affected by the discriminatory policy.
The foundation also claims the right to represent its members in the lawsuit because their children are forced to compete in this allegedly unconstitutional education system.
The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration from the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California that the system is unconstitutional and in violation of federal law, and to permanently prohibit officials from using racial preferences in the “operation, funding, promotion, or enrollment” of school programs.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Unified School District responded via email to Epoch Times, stating, “As this matter involves pending litigation, we are unable to comment on specific details. However, the Los Angeles Unified School District is firmly committed to ensuring that all students have access to meaningful services and enriching educational opportunities.”