The U.S. Department of Education has scrapped decades-old rules that held schools accountable for policies with unequal effects on student discipline and other outcomes, even when not intended as discrimination. The move reverses protections that relied on statistical evidence to challenge practices disproportionately affecting certain groups. Critics argue the change weakens safeguards against systemic bias in education, while supporters say it reduces burdensome legal risks for institutions. The decision marks a significant shift in how federal agencies interpret civil rights enforcement in schools.
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 effect of a school policy on discipline rates or other ...
