Introduction to the Controversy
A popular school club and elective, active in 16 states, is in the crosshairs of the Trump Administration. The United States Department of Education says Latinos in Action is discriminatory and is demanding that Broward County Public Schools sever ties with the group.
What is Latinos in Action?
Latinos in Action is both a club and an elective class, available in 44 Broward County middle and high schools. According to school board chair Debbi Hixon, “Latinos in Action is a fantastic program, we have it in a number of our middle and high schools, and they do really, really good work.”
DOE’s Concerns
The DOE doesn’t agree with Hixon. The Department says Latinos in Action excludes students based on race. The DOE’s Office for Civil Rights sent a letter to Broward Superintendent Howard Hepburn that says, in part, “First, Latinos in Action appears to be explicitly organized around the concept of Latino ethnicity.”
The letter goes on to say, “The About LIA webpage states that the end goal of everything we do is to empower Latino youth to lead and strengthen their communities through college and career readiness,” which the DOE takes exception with, stating, “The Latinos in Action program, however, is designed for and exclusive to Latino students. It is not, for instance, available to Black, white, or Asian American students.”
Reaction from School Board Members
School board member Rebecca Thompson said, “In the letter it references they feel the group is racially discriminating, however, all students are allowed to take these elective leadership courses, it’s not discriminating and my real concern is today it’s Latinos in Action, what does that mean tomorrow?” Thompson and Hixon each said the letter was a complete surprise. “Yes, absolutely was a surprise, wasn’t on the radar as far as I know, and it looks like they just went on the Latinos in Action website and drew some information from there,” Hixon said, adding that the DOE did not reach out to Broward County Public Schools to discuss the Latinos in Action course before sending the accusatory letter.
Potential Consequences
The DOE wants confirmation within the next five days that the school district will cut ties with Latinos in Action by the spring semester or face losing a $30 million grant for magnet school programming. Thompson said, “I think for obvious reasons they are targeting select groups of people throughout our country and because of the sheer fact that it says Latinos in Action, they are going after this group.” Hixon said she hopes that altering the Latinos in Action elective course will be enough to satisfy the officials in Washington.
Other Affected School Districts
Miami-Dade County Public Schools does not have an affiliation with Latinos in Action, although several other Florida school districts do.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding Latinos in Action has raised concerns about discrimination and the potential consequences for schools that offer the program. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how Broward County Public Schools will respond to the DOE’s demands and what impact this will have on the future of the program.
FAQs
Q: What is Latinos in Action?
A: Latinos in Action is a school club and elective class available in 44 Broward County middle and high schools, aimed at empowering Latino youth to lead and strengthen their communities.
Q: Why is the DOE demanding that Broward County Public Schools sever ties with Latinos in Action?
A: The DOE claims that Latinos in Action excludes students based on race and is designed for and exclusive to Latino students.
Q: What are the potential consequences for Broward County Public Schools if they do not comply with the DOE’s demands?
A: The school district may face losing a $30 million grant for magnet school programming.
Q: Are other school districts affected by the controversy?
A: Yes, several other Florida school districts have an affiliation with Latinos in Action, although Miami-Dade County Public Schools does not.
