The Merced City School District in California, known for its poor performance in education, is allocating nearly $300,000 to a rap education initiative, sparking concern among DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) advocacy groups.
Earlier this year, the district entered a $270,000 contract with School Yard Wrap, a Fresno-based organization that promotes an “edutainment” model. This partnership includes a summer “rap camp” and an “African-American affinity group,” limited to 100 students, which raises questions regarding federal compliance.
Erica Sange, a spokesperson for Defending Education, highlighted the legal implications, stating, “Schools cannot include or exclude students from programs based on race or ethnicity. This is against the law.”
In the last year, Merced has engaged School Yard Wrap for contracts totaling $610,000, the organization operating across 28 states, including prominent areas like New York and Texas.
The program offers a variety of activities, including history lessons, songwriting, DJing, and performances. However, the race-based approach in Merced schools has attracted scrutiny from federal authorities.
Harmeet Dhillon, an assistant attorney general, expressed concern, saying, “It is illegal for the government to provide benefits based solely on race,” emphasizing that they haven’t yet investigated the claims but will consider them seriously.
While district officials did not respond to inquiries, Brandon Brown, the founder of School Yard Wrap, argued that the program is inclusive. “This camp focuses on African American history and is open to all students in grades 3 through 8,” he stated, suggesting the criticisms may be politically charged.
One of the standout pieces, titled “Moor than a Month,” critiques white patriarchy through lyrics reminiscent of hip-hop group Migos, bringing attention to biases in education.
Brown pointed out that the initiative aims to provide children with knowledge about various cultures, hoping to combat ignorance and hatred in society.
While serving approximately 11,000 students, the Merced district has been challenged by a significant student-to-teacher ratio, reported to be around 25-to-1.
School Yard Rap also organized a concert that honored farm worker activist Cesar Chavez, who recently faced serious allegations regarding inappropriate conduct with minors.
Federal regulations prohibit discrimination in public schools based on race, and programs that do so may face legal challenges. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, these initiatives could be the target of scrutiny. Previous administrations have also investigated similar issues in various districts regarding race-based programs.
“While we encourage African-American students to engage with their history and culture, we maintain that the program is not exclusive, thus compliant with federal law,” Brown defended.
However, Erica Sange raised concerns regarding the district’s focus, stating that priority should be given towards improving basic educational metrics like reading and math performance.
