Race, Ethnicity, and National Origin Discrimination

The Students’ Civil Rights Project originated from Public Justice’s groundbreaking work, starting in the 1990s, on behalf of students of color challenging discriminatory eligibility criteria for scholarships and school sports. Our work continues today with a special focus on harassment and discriminatory discipline based on students’ race, ethnicity, or national origin.

Williamson v. Heritage Preschools LLC: Public Justice represents the family of a Black toddler who was singled out for excessive discipline, and eventually expelled, because of his race. Public Justice and co-counsel brought the case under a post-Civil War statute, known as Section 1981, that prohibits race discrimination in contracts. 

Hernández v. School District of Pennsylvania: “John Doe,” an asylum-seeker attending elementary school within the School District of Philadelphia was harassed by classmates based on his perceived sexual orientation and national origin. When he asked for help, a principal threatened to call immigration authorities. Public Justice helped secure a settlement for John and his mom and create systemic change within the district.  

K.R. v. Duluth Public Schools Academy: Black children were subjected to discriminatory school discipline and race-based harassment at a charter school system in Duluth, Minnesota. Together with co-counsel, Public Justice helped the students and their families bring a successful lawsuit that resulted in an important opinion about schools’ responsibilities to address racially hostile environments, as well as a favorable settlement for the students.

T.E. v. Pine Bush Central School District: Public Justice and its co-counsel represented five Jewish students who had been victims of pervasive anti-Semitism in Pine Bush Central School District in New York. After three years of litigation, and winning a court opinion recognizing the anti-Semitic conduct as race-based harassment under Title VI, we obtained a groundbreaking settlement that not only paid $4.48 million, but required the district to enact broad reforms in curriculum, training, policies, procedures, tracking, and reporting.

Shelby v. Huntsville City Board of Education: This federal lawsuit was filed on behalf of the parents of a Black gay teenager who died by suicide after he experienced both race and anti-gay discrimination at Huntsville High School in Alabama. Public Justice joined the case and helped secure a significant settlement for the family.

Cureton v. National Collegiate Athletic Association: Public Justice and its co-counsel challenged the NCAA’s minimum test score requirement, which had a discriminatory impact on Black student-athletes. The federal district court in Philadelphia agreed that the NCAA’s rule had a discriminatory impact on Black student-athletes and granted summary judgment in their favor. The NCAA filed an appeal and got the case dismissed on technical grounds. Soon afterwards, however, the NCAA dropped the discriminatory test score requirement.

White v. Engler: This was a federal class action challenging a Michigan college scholarship program that discriminated against racial and ethnic minorities, as well as low–income students. The case settled before trial.

You can learn about more of the Students’ Civil Rights’ Project’s race, ethnicity, and national origin discrimination cases here.

If you believe you may have a case that Public Justice should know about, please click here to send our legal team details.

In addition to our litigation, the Students’ Civil Rights Project and our clients also engage in public advocacy to combat discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or national origin.

Our letter to the Department of Education about retaliatory discipline (2021)
Our client Camika Shelby’s article about the death of her son Nigel, a victim of race and anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in school (2023)