The U.S. Department of Education has scrapped decades-old rules 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 policies under which institutions could face liability for policies that disproportionately affected protected groups, regardless of discriminatory intent. Critics argue the change weakens protections against systemic inequities in education, while officials cite it as an effort to streamline compliance processes. The decision marks a significant shift in how civil rights enforcement may be applied under current federal oversight.
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 ...
