A national parental rights in education advocacy group filed a federal civil rights complaint against a California school district, claiming it offers programs and training sessions based on the student or teacher’s race.
Parents Defending Education filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education on Monday against the San Leandro Unified School District. The filing highlighted a contract between two schools in the district and the Kingmakers of Oakland, an organization that seeks to improve educational outcomes for black students.
The parental advocacy group, representing members with children enrolled in schools across the country, cites the 2024-25 academic school year contract as evidence, stating that the Kingmakers of Oakland is a “race-focused organization.”
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According to Exhibit A in the document, Kingmakers believes “society and educational systems have not been designed to help Black boys reach their potential.”
“KOO aims to rebuild the systems, structures, culture, and conditions required to uplift the intrinsic potential and inherent brilliance of every Black male student,” an overview of the organization states. “KOO partners with public school districts nationally to ensure Black male students excel.”
Kingmakers’ program intends to “uplift the intrinsic potential and inherent brilliance of every Black male student,” and outlines six “system change drivers” included in the program. The contract also outlined a budget of $74,750.
These “system change drivers” include “Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Curriculum” and a focus on training and recruiting black male teachers.
“Through professional learning, collaborative learning communities, coaching, and curriculum KOO seeks to improve the competencies of the educators within public school systems to cultivate culture and conditions where Black boys, Kings, express their innate greatness and lead from their internalized sense of brilliance and beauty,” an overview of the program cited in the complaint reads.
Other concerns raised by Parents Defending Education about the contract included services such as a “crowning ceremony” and the “Kingmaker’s classroom experience.” The parental advocacy group argued that these services seek to benefit students and educators of a certain race while excluding others.
Parents Defending Education accused the district of discrimination, raising concerns that it has received federal funds in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
“Accordingly, we ask that the Department promptly investigate the allegations in this complaint, act swiftly to remedy unlawful policies and practices, and order appropriate relief,” the advocacy group declared in its complaint.
The San Leandro Unified School District and the Kingmakers of Oakland did not immediately respond to The Christian Post’s request for comment. A U.S. Department of Education spokesperson said that the agency does not confirm if it’s investigating a complaint.
In November, Parents Defending Education raised similar concerns about racially-segregated affinity groups for teachers and parents in a complaint against Boston Public Schools.
The group filed a complaint through the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s office in Boston, requesting an investigation to determine whether BPS’ actions violated Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
The complaint cited lesson plans and other materials for an affinity group called “White Staff and Parents Challenging Racism.”
According to a guide for the group, the program instructs participants to reflect on past opportunities where they may have gathered with white people “to enhance [their] effectiveness as an ally to people of color.”
Education programs focused on race have received particular attention under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has sought to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies.
Earlier this month, the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights sent a letter to academic institutions and state education agencies that receive federal funding. Craig Trainor, the department’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights, warned that these institutions could lose federal funding if they did not eliminate their DEI programs by the deadline.
“The Department will no longer tolerate the overt and covert racial discrimination that has become widespread in this Nation’s educational institutions. The law is clear: treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity is illegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent,” the document stated.
Last week, the education department announced it had terminated over $600 million in grants, which included awards to teacher preparation programs that the agency said contained “inappropriate and unnecessary topics.” The topics cited as inappropriate included critical race theory, anti-racism and social justice activism.
Erika Sanzi, director of outreach for Parents Defending Education, declared in a statement to CP at the time that it’s “hard to overstate how radical these teacher trainings are.”
“[W]e are talking about forcing teachers to talk about their race at work, asking educators to ‘take personal and institutional responsibility for systemic inequities,’ promoting abolitionist teaching practices and defining equity as equal outcomes,” Sanzi said. “And not for nothing but all we see are declining outcomes for the students that these trainings purport to help most.”
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
