Field trip for St. Paul 'students of color' canceled after discrimination complaint filed
Federal civil rights complaint filed over field trip
A field trip for Highland Park Senior High School "students of color" was canceled after a discrimination complaint was filed. FOX 9's Soyoung Kim has the story.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A community member who lives in the Twin Cities said he filed a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights on Tuesday after seeing a parent’s concern online over a field trip at a St. Paul Public Schools High School that allegedly restricted participated.
Residents question legality of excluding some students from school activities
The field trip:
The incident in question was a field trip planned for some students at Highland Park Senior High School to a Minneapolis marketing agency that was supposed to take place Thursday. The field trip description said it was open to 11th and 12th graders who "identify as a student of color."
The concern:
Mark Perry, a retired university professor, said over the past five years or so, he has filed nearly 1,000 complaints for alleged discrimination at universities, colleges, and schools that receive federal funding across the country.
Perry said his complaints focus on alleged violations of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex. And in this case, he alleges a violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
School takes immediate action:
Perry said within hours of contacting the school about this matter, he received a message back that the field trip had been canceled.
"They maybe should have understood that this was a problem before, but at least once it was brought to their attention, that’s the least I can expect then that they would do the right thing and comply with federal civil rights laws. Which in this case, was canceling the program or I guess maybe it was too late to open it up to all student," said Perry.
School reaction
School district responds:
A spokesperson for St. Paul Public Schools said it had partnered with a non-profit organization that provides programs like this one.
"Saint Paul Public Schools values our partnerships with community organizations like The BrandLab and the opportunities they provide for our students. The district remains committed to providing post-secondary and career-related opportunities for all of our students to pursue their passions," said Erica Wacker, district spokesperson for St. Paul Public Schools.
What's next:
Perry said he will withdraw the complaint.