The U.S. Department of Education has rolled back decades-old policies that allowed for legal accountability in cases where statistical data revealed discriminatory practices, even if intentional bias wasn’t proven. The move reverses long-standing protections under disparate impact claims, which have been used to challenge policies that disproportionately affect certain groups. Critics argue the change weakens safeguards against systemic inequities in education, while supporters say it reduces burdensome legal risks for institutions. The decision marks a significant shift in how discrimination cases 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 ...
