Trump's Department of Education opens investigation into school's alleged discrimination of White students

President Donald Trump's Department of Education has launched an investigation into a school district in central New York for allegedly discriminating against students based on their race. 

"The discrimination was deliberate, open, and offensive, going so far as to have a Frequently Asked Question on the event website explaining why White students were not invited," Jacobson added. 

The complaint, filed on Aug. 12, 2024 by Jacobson, founder of the Equal Protection Project, claims a "four-year systematic exclusion of White students from annual Student of Color United (SOCU) Summits at the Ithaca City School District (ICSD) in Ithaca, New York." 

They quote a 2023 communication from the school district to the office of Civil Rights that says that "The District informed OCR that the affinity groups listed on the announcement and scheduled for February 8, 2023, did not take place. The District further informed OCR that all of the District's programming is open to all participants regardless of race and there are no affinity groups or other programs that are exclusionary based on race. OCR confirmed that the announcement listing the affinity groups no longer exists on the District's website."

But the Equal Protection Project maintains that there was an ongoing practice of discrimination, saying in the complaint that "for at least four years, from 2021-2024, ICSD systematically excluded White students from SOCU Summits with the knowledge and the participation of dozens of teachers and administrators, knowledge of the Board of Education, and despite multiple complaints about the racially discriminatory practices from members of the community."

They add that "The Frequently Asked Questions section of the official SOCU Summit website even included an explanation as to 'Why aren't White students invited?' and required that registering students 'acknowledge that this is a Student of Color ONLY event.'" 

"As a recipient of federal financial assistance from the Department, the District must comply with Title VI and its implementing regulations," the letter reads.

"OCR will investigate the following issue: whether the District subjected students to different treatment on the bases of race and color by sponsoring Students of Color United Summits that excluded White students in violation of Title VI and its implementing regulations." 

Last week, President Donald Trump issued an executive order to end diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.

Jacobson told Fox News Digital that the Ithaca County School District "needs to be held accountable for a four-year-long campaign of discrimination that involved and was known by the highest levels of the administration and Board of Education, despite complaints from the community objecting to the discrimination. It is not enough at this late date just to promise not to do it again."

Ithaca City School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment.