The U.S. Department of Education has scrapped decades-old rules that held institutions accountable for unintentional discrimination when statistical patterns revealed unequal treatment, even without proof of intentional bias. The move reverses long-standing protections under a legal framework that allowed claims of disparate impact to challenge policies with disproportionate effects on certain groups. Critics argue the change weakens safeguards against systemic inequities, while supporters say it reduces regulatory burdens on schools and programs. The decision marks a significant shift in how discrimination cases may be evaluated under federal education law.
The U.S. Department of Education on Thursday eliminated regulations going back more than 60 years that recognized liability for disparate impact, such as when statistics demonstrate a discriminatory ...
