Civil rights lawyers have come out against an Illinois high school’s program to racially segregate the school’s math and English classes in an attempt to boost black students’ scores.
The attorneys add that the program at Evanston Township High School – which is a majority minority school with just 44 percent white students – may also be illegal.
Evanston offers Algebra 2, pre-calculus, AP calculus and an English seminar in what’s called AXLE – Advancing Excellence, Lifting Everyone – and GANAS – from a Spanish expression meaning ‘giving it all you got’ – for black and Latino students.
According to the school board, part of the school system’s goal is: ‘Recognizing that racism is the most devastating factor contributing to the diminished achievement of students, ETHS will strive to eliminate the predictability of academic achievement based upon race.’
While Superintendent Marcus Campbell said the program gives students of color ‘a different, more familiar setting to kids who feel really anxious about being in an AP class,’ other see it as undermining civil rights gains.
The attorneys add that the program at Evanston Township High School – which is a majority minority school with just 44 percent white students – may also be illegal
The program ‘does not distinguish between mandatory and optional activities’ under Title VI, argues William Trachman, a former official in the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights.
Title VI law bans racial discrimination by federally-funded programs.
‘There is no way that could possibly pass legal muster if someone sued,’ civil rights law expert David Bernstein told the Free Beacon, adding that it was ‘blatantly unconstitutional.’
The programs, which students can sign-up for voluntarily, began with a pilot in 2019, though the school has yet to release any outcomes or statistics on whether they have any affect.
The Wall Street Journal reported that 105 students are participating in the GANAS program, while another 86 are in the AXLE courses.
Students, who were not identified, have testified that they are getting something out of the classes.
‘I feel like I represent me and not the whole black race in this AP class,’ said an alum of an AXLE class.
Taya Kinzie, pictured, is principal of the school offering racially-segregated math and writing classes, which civil rights lawyers have warned may be illegal
‘It’s a safe space. In AP classes that are mostly white, I feel like if I answer wrong, I am representing all black kids. I stay quiet in those classes.’
During the 2021-22 school year, 8 percent of white AP testers got a three or higher, while only 61 percent of Latino and 48 percent of black test takers did as well.
Getting a three on those tests is usually the minimum requirement for college credits.
‘I feel accepted for the first time in a long time,’ said a GANAS program learner who said she was half-Latina.
However, in addition to the potential legal ramifications, a racial equity consultant who has worked for the school for over a decade admits that it would be ideal if they were no longer needed in the future.
‘The ultimate goal is not having an affinity section of algebra,’ Glenn Singleton said. ‘It’s to have no disparity.’
No lawsuit is reported to have been filed yet against these programs, which are also in use in liberal outposts like Minneapolis, Seattle, San Francisco, and Oakland.
Federal antidiscrimination laws prevent public schools from separating students based on race, so it may face future challenges.
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