Trump Administration Joins Lawsuit Against LAUSD for Racial Discrimination

The Trump administration has entered a prominent racial discrimination lawsuit targeting the Los Angeles Unified School District. This lawsuit claims that the second-largest school district in the U.S. treats white students unfairly, subjecting them to “lesser treatment and calculated disadvantage.”

The case, initially brought by the 1776 Project Foundation, argues that the district’s long-standing desegregation mandate results in practices that discriminate against non-minority students by giving preferential treatment to others.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the importance of equal treatment, saying, “Treating all Americans equally is a fundamental constitutional guarantee that educational institutions must adhere to.” She added that the Department of Justice is committed to ensuring this promise materializes, especially for students in Los Angeles public schools.

Harmeet Dhillon, who leads the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, pointed out that LAUSD “offers benefits that presume students have a learning disability based on their race.” She further stated, “Racism is illegal and un-American, and this Office of Civil Rights will fight to ensure that all LAUSD students are treated equally under the law.”

The district’s program aimed at students classified as “Predominantly Hispanic, Black, Asian, or Other Non-British” (PHBAO) segregates students by race to allocate benefits to schools with larger PHBAO populations. The Justice Department contends this policy effectively categorizes LAUSD residents into “Anglos,” meaning the white demographic, and everyone else.

Ryan James Gardusky, the founder of the 1776 Project Foundation, remarked that LAUSD stands out among school districts in the U.S. for its discriminatory practices. He referred to the situation as the “most blatant example of racism by a major school district in this country.”

However, critics argue that the lawsuit is baseless and driven by political motives. Tyrone Howard, a professor at UCLA’s Center for School Transformation, described the lawsuit as troubling and symbolic. He believes it shifts attention away from the history of discrimination and exclusion, turning it into a narrative suggesting that “look, white students are being treated badly.”