FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Release: Weakening student civil rights protections will “put students of color at increased risk of discrimination”

“We believe punishing black and white students differently for the same behavior is the very definition of institutional racism,” says Nicole Baker Fulgham, founder of the Hope for Students movement, in response to reports that U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will repeal school discipline rules aimed at protecting students from discriminatory discipline.

“Repealing well established student civil rights protections as a part of a broader set of school safety recommendations expected to be released soon will put students of color at increased risk of discrimination.

Given our nation’s complicated history with public education and race it’s troubling that the Department of Education would choose to forgo its essential role as student civil rights guardian and refuse to uphold one of the most sacred principles at the heart of our public education system: the right of every student to a high quality education regardless of the color of their skin.

As followers of Christ, united by the belief that every child is created in the image of God and equally worthy of a world class education, we condemn any moves to weaken these student protections in the strongest possible terms.

We grieve alongside students and families who have been harmed by discrimination in our schools and commit ourselves to continuing the struggle at Federal, state and local levels to ensure the rights of our nation’s most vulnerable are upheld.”

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