WASHINGTON (APP) – The Federal Office, which imposes civil rights in schools across the United States, has been ordered to give priority to complaints. Enmity Above all, when it shields President Donald Trump’s agenda, raising fears that other rights violations will not be punished.
Trump’s Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights Leader told staff this week that he would be expected to call for civil rights, according to a source calling with a Craig trainer, a acting secretary for civil rights, Trump’s wishes Nearly, we will aggressively pursue complaints. .
There are already signs of a severe turning point in the implementation of civil rights, which contains new anti -Jewish prejudice -based operations and Transgender problems.
In response to the White House order last week, the office launched a new investigation into Anti -ismism in five universities, including Colombia and the North. A few days ago, it opened An inquiry In Denver Public Schools, which is on a gender bathroom that took the girls’ bathroom, left another special for the boys. On Wednesday, Trump ordered schools that receive federal money Transjender Girls banned By participating in women’s sports, promising the education department will investigate the schools and colleges that do not comply with it.
Office lawyers’ fleet has been mostly removed, while the new administration changes the priorities. Daily work has been frozen, which is usually common when a new president takes power, but sources say there is a new blackout about negotiations with schools, colleges or complaints. – Questions about ways to enforce the title IX are non -response, they leave schools in the dark. The new memo Last week from the agency.
Sources spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.
In a staff call, the trainer said that under the former president of the office, Joe Biden should be more aggressive and faster than that. He accused the former administration of ignoring his duties to fight enmity, which has opened up more than 100 cases. Trump has called for a review of all anti -security issues after Hamas was opened after the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. Those who were solved under the Biden.
With strict focus on hostility and gender identity, fear is that the office will not pay proper attention Ethnic distinctionDisability, or abuse based on Islamophobia. The office must take action on all the complaints of its fields, but politics can play its role in setting priority and pursuing which issues.
Raymond Pierce, who led the office under the Democratic President Bill Clinton, said that focusing only on enmity does not fulfill the mission’s mission – to enforce civil rights laws.
He said, “Rostness is a problem.” But the Civil Rights Act is much wider than just religion. “
In a statement, the trainer promised his office that “in his circle, he will fully investigate all the alleged violations of civil rights laws.”
The trainer also warned the staff about the incoming “reorganization” and admitted that Elon Musk’s so -called Government Performance Department The department is investigating the education. It gave rise to problems about staff deductions at the Civil Rights Office, which has seen a decrease number as it received 22,687 complaints last year.
In addition, they are concerned with Trump Struggling to close the Department of Education The Project, developed by the Conservative Heritage Foundation, will reduce the office budget and transfer it to the Justice Department.
According to lawyers and lawyers, the effects of Trump’s changes are felt by black students and disabled people. For decades, the Office for Civil Rights has worked to force equal access to backward students, said Derek W. Blake, a law professor at the University of South Carolina.
If the office gets a merit in the complaint, then the federal funds have the option to stop unless schools or states are complied with.
“Are there local and state officials who want to correct your children? Of course, there are,” Blake said. Don’t want to do? Unfortunately, there are.
Historically, the department includes most of the complaints Disability distinctionAccording to an annual report, the allegations of sexual discrimination last year have calculated more than half of all complaints. Disability discrimination increased by 37 %, while discrimination more than race or national origin was 19 %.
In addition to its duty to investigate the complaints, the office prepares federal rules to translate the federal law for schools and colleges. This character has been in the center of a political tug of war Title ixRepeated Campus with the recent administration re -writing the rules of investigating sexual misconduct.
The Biden administration issued New rules Last year, increasing the title IX to protect Transjender and LGBT Q+ students, and increasing the rights of the victims. A federal judge Eliminated the rules In January, Trump’s first term returns to a set of previous rules.
In a memo for schools and colleges last week, the Office for Civil Rights emphasized that Trump’s first rules would be enforced, but it led to confusion that when Biden’s rules were implemented, How to handle matters that were opened. After the department has no conversation, there is very little explanation for schools.
There are also questions about how the enmity investigation will change. Trump has used hot statements to emphasize further aggressive action against colleges that have found that they have tolerated hatred, and the trainer “dental” to resolve the cases to the Biden administration. The agreements have been blown up. No new guidance has been issued to lawyers investigating the cases.
Since the office is waiting for orders to resume its work, it faces a growing back blog of complaints.
Before Trump took over, more than 140 open investigations were conducted on the shared lineage, many of them to deal with enmity or Islamophobia. The Biden administration opened more than 100 investigations after October 7, 2023. A lightweight schools of schools reached the agreements to settle the cases before taking power in the midst of the concern that they would issue heavy sanctions.
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