Parental Rights Group Files Complaint Against Illinois School For Racist Programs

Parents Defending Education has filed a civil rights complaint against an Illinois high school after it was revealed that the school was offering programs that segregate students based on race.

In the complaint, the parental rights organization explained that the programs and activities being offered exclusively to Black and Hispanic students are both unconstitutional and a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“Parents Defending Education (PDE) brings this complaint against Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora, Illinois for discrimination on the basis of race 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 to the U.S. Constitution,” the complaint read.

The program that PDE is arguing against is the Illinois Math and Science Academy’s (IMSA) Brotherhood Sister Circle (BHSC) — which provides supposed “Culturally, Linguistically, and Economically Diverse” students with an environment to “learn about the history and current system of oppression in America” and to “develop relational leadership skills/stereotype management to confront related issues.”

IMSA created the program in 2019, claiming that it would give its Black and “Latinx” students the chance to “celebrate and enhance their strengths, creativity, intelligence, promote networking, community involvement, financial literacy, resources, and academic success.”

According to emails obtained by PDE, the BHSC’s annual retreat blatantly discriminates against anyone who is not Black or Hispanic.

One example cited was a March 2022 email blast telling students that the program and the school’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) was hosting a March 12 retreat “for Black and Latinx students.”

“Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and connect with other Black and Latinx students, staf[f] and alumni in a forum that celebrates you!” the school’s director of pre-enrollment programs wrote in the email.

The emails just got worse from there, as it was revealed that a majority of BHSC’s activities were completely off-limits to any student who is not Black or Hispanic.

In another March 2022 email conversation, a member of the school’s yearbook photo team asked an unnamed IMSA official whether their photographers would need to be “Black or Latinx” to attend. The official responded by explaining that the group’s photographers “may attend the keynote presentation and take photos between 1:30 to 2:20,” but that “All of the other sessions are closed sessions.”

IMSA’s director of equity and inclusion Adrienne Coleman later emailed the unnamed official and explained that the “closed sessions” are only for Black and Hispanic individuals — writing: “I would ask for Black/Latinx photographers so that pictures can be taken throughout the day.”

Meanwhile, a promo for BHSC’s 2023 event outright condescended to minority students, claiming that the event was necessary to “provide Black and Latinx students with additional academic resources and social/emotional support to ensure they have the tools to be successful at IMSA and the global world.”

PDE is demanding that the Department of Education investigate the school for the clearly racist practices, requesting in the complaint that the agency “act swiftly to remedy unlawful policies and practices, and order appropriate relief.”

In a statement to The Federalist, PDE vice president Caroline Moore argued that the evidence against IMSA indicates a “deep-seated hate towards a specific demographic, and [it] cannot be tolerated.”

PDE has made it their mission to speak out against the use of taxpayer money to promote DEI and other racist policies.

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