News Summary
Broward County Public Schools has decided to cancel its Latinos in Action leadership course for the upcoming spring semester due to a ruling from the U.S. Department of Education. The decision stems from concerns that the course, which is designed exclusively for Latino students, may violate federal civil rights laws. The DOE’s findings highlighted potential discrimination issues that could jeopardize significant federal funding for the district. The cancellation has sparked varied reactions from the community, amid concerns over the future of similar programs aimed at empowering ethnic groups.
Fort Lauderdale, FL – Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) will be canceling its Latinos in Action leadership course for the upcoming spring semester following a ruling from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) that found the course to be in violation of federal civil rights laws. The DOE’s Office for Civil Rights determined that the program is exclusive to Latino students, which poses legal concerns regarding federal funding.
The Latinos in Action course is an elective offered at 44 middle and high schools across the district, enrolling roughly 2,800 students. The DOE’s findings indicated that the program is specifically designed for Latino students and does not extend to Black, white, or Asian American students. This exclusivity has raised alarms about potential discrimination under federal guidelines.
The DOE issued a warning to BCPS, demanding compliance within five days to avoid jeopardizing $30 million in federal funding. The letter highlighted that the structure of the Latinos in Action program is organized around the concept of Latino ethnicity, reinforcing concerns about its legality in the context of federal civil rights laws. The program was aimed at empowering Latino youth by preparing them for college and future careers, yet its exclusivity has led to significant repercussions.
BCPS confirmed that the transition away from the current curriculum will be effective at the start of the spring semester, although it is still unclear whether related extracurricular activities will continue in light of the course cancellation. The program is currently active in 16 states, including various districts within Florida, where it serves both as a class and as an extracurricular organization.
The decision to cancel the program has sparked varied reactions within the community. Pembroke Pines city commissioner Maria Rodriguez criticized the federal government’s actions as a targeted attack on Broward Schools. She emphasized the necessity of such a program in a county where approximately 33% of the population identifies as Hispanic. Meanwhile, school board member Dr. Allen Zeman characterized the federal ruling as “extortion,” suggesting that the connection between the $30 million grant and the Latinos in Action program is tenuous.
Adam Cervera, the only Hispanic member of the BCPS School Board, has expressed support for maintaining Latino representation in schools but has emphasized the importance of adhering to legal guidelines. Other school board members, including Rebecca Thompson, have voiced their concerns regarding the implications of this ruling for future programs focusing on specific ethnic groups.
The cancellation of the Latinos in Action course will have significant effects on the educational experiences of the approximately 2,800 students currently enrolled. School board chair Debbi Hixon indicated that the board was surprised by the federal ruling, noting that they had not been contacted by the DOE prior to receiving the formal notification.
Currently, Miami-Dade County Public Schools does not have an affiliation with the Latinos in Action program, although there are other districts in Florida that do participate in this initiative. As BCPS prepares to comply with the DOE’s directive, the future of programming focused on Latino student empowerment remains uncertain, leaving many in the community questioning how similar courses might be affected moving forward.
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Additional Resources
- NBC Miami: Broward Schools Cancels Latinos in Action Course
- Wikipedia: Civil Rights
- Caribbean National Weekly: Broward Schools to Cancel Latinos in Action Course
- Google Search: Latinos in Action
- NBC Miami: Feds Say Popular School Program for Latinos Discriminates
- Google Scholar: Broward County Public Schools
- Margate Talk: Monarch Latinos in Action Tutors
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Education Equity
- NBC Miami: Department of Education Calls Out Latinos in Action
- Google News: Broward Schools Education
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