Dept. of Education disputes AP claim on Black student neglect

The U.S. Department of Education has publicly criticized the Associated Press (AP) for publishing a story that it deemed "inaccurate and dangerous." The AP's report asserted that the federal government, under the current administration, is reversing efforts to address deep-rooted inequities for students of color, framing actions aimed at addressing racial disparities as discriminatory against white students. The AP cited investigations into Chicago Public Schools' Black Student Success Program, which led to $20 million in federal funding being withheld, and Los Angeles Unified School District's similar Black Student Achievement Plan. The Department of Education, through its Office of Civil Rights, had previously stated that Chicago Public Schools' program violated anti-discrimination laws by exclusively serving Black students. The Department of Education countered the AP's narrative by stating that allocating resources disproportionately to students of one race at the expense of others is a violation of civil rights law and an infringement upon the basic fairness to which all students are entitled.