Midwest
Trump administration investigates school district near Chicago amid reports of 'antiracist training'
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has launched an investigation into an Illinois school district based on a teacher’s allegations of racial segregation practices, according to a press release.
The complaint, filed by the Southeastern Legal Foundation (SLF) on behalf of teacher Dr. Stacy Deemar, alleges Evanston-Skokie School District 65 is acting in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by using “privilege walks” and other racial practices at school.
“The policies and practices to which the District allegedly subjects students and teachers shocks the conscience. Amid a dismal academic achievement record, the District appears to focus on unlawfully segregating students by race, instructing students to step forward and others to step back on the basis of race, and associating ‘Whiteness’ with the devil. If true, how is this conceivable in America today?” Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said in a press release on May 1 by the Trump Education Department.
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The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights launched an investigation into the Evanston-Skokie school district based on a complaint from a teacher that it engages in racial segregation practices, according to a press release. (REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
Under the first Trump administration, the Department of Education previously pursued the school district for violating Title VI in a finding that was later suspended by the Biden administration, according to ABC7 Chicago. Deemar has alleged that the district engages in “antiracist training” and “race-based programming.”
“After four long years of the Biden Administration’s tolerance for this kind of conduct, the American people returned President Trump to office to end this madness and enforce Title VI. This Department of Education will not allow districts that receive federal funding to become safe spaces for racial segregation or any other unlawful discriminatory practices,” Trainor said.
“SLF is thankful that the Trump Administration recognizes that enough is enough and, following Dr. Deemar’s new OCR complaint, has launched an investigation into unconscionable racial discrimination in District 65 – Evanston, IL,” Southeastern Legal Foundation Executive Director Kimberly Hermann said in a statement.
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President Joe Biden with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, right, on Aug. 24, 2022 in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. (OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)
She acknowledged that the Biden administration withdrew the litigation originally filed by the first Trump administration.
“Ever since the wrongful withdrawal four years ago of the Department of Education’s finding that District 65’s racial segregation, equity training, discipline policy, and other racially discriminatory policies violated America’s civil rights laws, Dr. Deemar has waited patiently for the harms inflicted by the Biden Administration to be rectified,” Hermann said.
“For the sake of our children and our country, the time to restore equality and reclaim civil liberties is now,” she added.
Evanston-Skokie School District 65 did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
A spokesperson for the district did provide a statement to ABC7 Chicago, saying, “We are a diverse school district committed to equity and to ensuring that every child gets what they need and deserve to reach their full potential. It remains our responsibility to meet every child where they are and to ensure continued growth.”
“The District will continue to fulfill the intent and promise of equal protection and nondiscrimination embodied in the Constitution and our nation’s civil rights laws. The complaint misrepresents our District’s lawful and important professional learning and student-focused initiatives that are designed to advance the work of ensuring that ALL students have access and opportunity to a robust, high quality education,” the statement continued.
“The District will fully comply with the OCR investigation to help ensure a just and expeditious resolution,” it added.
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STATE POLICE SAY THEY FOUND THIS DRACO WRAPPED IN A T-SHIRT IN OREGON TOWNSHIP.
TROOPERS SAY THEY WERE RESPONDING TO A CALL ABOUT A POSSIBLE ROBBERY – WHEN THEY SAW THE SUSPECT FROM FLINT – WALKING AROUND WITH AMMO IN HIS POCKET.
HE WAS ARRESTED FOR CARRYING A CONCEALED WEAPON – AND HAVING THE GUN WHILE INTOXICATED.
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee tenants react after landlord makes first public remarks since being sued by city, Common Ground
MILWAUKEE — Leaking ceilings, cracked walls and big holes are the conditions Carolyn Ferguson has been living in for years at the home she rents from Highgrove Holdings, LLC.
READ ALSO | Milwaukee tenants, Common Ground push city leaders for more landlord accountability over nuisance violations
“It rains in here, it rains in the dining room in there,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson is one of several tenants working with community nonprofit Common Ground and the city of Milwaukee to sue her landlord over alleged neglect, code violations, vacancy and unpaid property taxes.
The mother of 17 is raising her last daughter and is fighting cancer. The condition of her home is another burden.
“I’ve got to worry about that, and worry about the surgery, and all this other stuff and I mean he’s just making it even worse for me than it is,” Ferguson said.
Brendyn Jones/TMJ4
On Monday, during an unrelated press conference by Common Ground, Highgrove Holdings owner David Tomblin made a surprise appearance and faced questions from TMJ4 chief investigative reporter Jenna Rae. While he didn’t answer many of them, he did say the group has made progress.
Watch: Milwaukee tenants react after landlord makes first public remarks since being sued by city
Milwaukee tenants react after landlord makes first public remarks since being sued
When asked about the city of Milwaukee’s lawsuit over issues at his properties that he is not addressing, Tomblin responded.
“Well, we are addressing them, but in the proper time,” Tomblin said.
Brendyn Jones/TMJ4
Ferguson said she has not seen any of those fixes.
“He hasn’t fixed anything, like I said, out of the nine years I’ve been here, he’s had at least seven years and nothing, nothing at all,” Ferguson said.
The issues are impacting multiple generations of the Ferguson family. Carolyn’s daughter used to live at the property until she moved out after poor conditions were never addressed. More than a year later, that unit is still boarded up.
“When is he going to fix my momma’s ceiling? When is he going to do something about the roof? When are you going to do something about that basement downstairs? I would ask him a lot of questions,” Edwina Ferguson said.
Brendyn Jones/TMJ4
TMJ4 reporter Brendyn Jones called Tomblin Monday night. He picked up and requested to know the names of the tenants who were interviewed. Jones said that information would be available after the story was published, so he declined to answer questions.
While Tomblin said there will be a press conference with tenants soon, he did not commit to a date or time.
Common Ground’s Kevin Solomon said the pressure on Tomblin is working.
“It’s political, and it shows that our pressure is clearly getting under his skin. The lawsuit will play out; Common Ground will stay on it,” Solomon said.
The next court date for the lawsuit is at the end of July.
This story was reported on-air by Brendyn Jones and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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