The U.S. Department of Education has rolled back decades-old rules that held institutions accountable for discrimination when statistical patterns revealed unequal treatment, even without proof of intentional bias. The move reverses protections tied to the concept of "disparate impact," which allowed challenges to policies that disproportionately affected certain groups. Critics argue the change weakens safeguards against systemic inequities in education, while supporters say it reduces regulatory burdens on schools and lenders. The decision marks a significant shift in how discrimination cases may be evaluated under federal civil rights 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 ...
