The U.S. Department of Education has scrapped decades-old rules that allowed for legal accountability in cases where statistical patterns reveal discriminatory practices, even if intentional bias could not be proven. The move reverses long-standing policies that permitted challenges to policies with unequal effects on protected groups, such as in admissions or hiring. Critics argue the change weakens protections against systemic inequities, while supporters say it reduces burdensome legal risks for institutions. The decision marks a significant shift in how discrimination claims are 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 ...
