DOJ Sues Los Angeles School District Over Racial Sorting of Students

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has initiated a federal lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), alleging that the district has unlawfully categorized students by race for the purposes of funding and admissions.

According to a statement, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division filed a motion on Wednesday to join a lawsuit that targets LAUSD’s Predominantly Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Other (PHBAO) program. This program reportedly sorts areas as either “Anglo” or non-Anglo, impacting how resources are allocated.

“Equal treatment for all Americans is not just an aspiration; it’s a fundamental constitutional guarantee that educational institutions must uphold,” remarked Attorney General Pamela Bondi. She emphasized the DOJ’s commitment to ensuring this guarantee, particularly for students in Los Angeles.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon criticized the classification system as illegal. “It is unacceptable to treat students differently based on their race or neighborhood,” she said, adding that the office will combat unlawful race-based segregation to protect civil rights.

Dhillon continued, noting that students in Los Angeles County should not be categorized based on race. “Racism is illegal and un-American,” she declared, stressing the importance of equal treatment under the law.

The DOJ’s complaint outlines that LAUSD designates areas with fewer than 30 percent white residents as disadvantaged, granting those schools additional funding to lower class sizes and priority access to selective magnet programs.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Ezeiri stated that the decades-long policy is outdated. “After 60 years, LAUSD’s desegregation program has reached a point of unconstitutionality,” Ezeiri noted, calling for equality in treatment across the board.

The lawsuit was originally filed in January by the 1776 Project Foundation, a conservative educational nonprofit. Lead attorney Michael DiNardo condemned the existing policy, arguing that it has shifted from a temporary solution to a system that unjustly prioritizes certain racial groups over others.

LAUSD responded by saying they couldn’t comment further due to the ongoing litigation but reiterated their commitment to ensuring equal access to services for all students.

The PHBAO classification affects over 600 LAUSD schools, with less than 100 remaining unclassified. Notably, white students represent about 10 percent of total enrollment according to recent reports.