WASHINGTON, D.C., July 23, 2026 — Keri Rodrigues, President of the National Parents Union, released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education announced it was rescinding the disparate impact provisions from its Title VI regulations.
“Today, the Department of Education rolled back one of the most important civil rights protections for students in decades. By eliminating disparate impact enforcement under Title VI, the federal government is telling families that discriminatory outcomes no longer matter unless someone admits discrimination was intentional.
For decades, disparate impact protections allowed parents to hold schools accountable for the real-world effects of their policies, not just their stated intentions. Whether it was Black students being suspended at far higher rates than their peers for the same behavior, English language learners being denied access to advanced coursework, or schools serving students of color receiving fewer resources, families could point to patterns of unequal treatment.
This decision is devastating for families. With a single action, the Department has turned its back on one of the few mechanisms available to identify and address systemic discrimination in our schools.
But, our children’s rights do not disappear because Washington decided to stop enforcing them. We will continue to fight to protect the rights of kids in the courts, in Congress and across the country. Every child deserves equal access to opportunity, and we will not stop until that promise becomes a reality.”
Since the Supreme Court’s 2001 decision in Alexander v. Sandoval, parents have not been able to bring disparate impact claims under Title VI directly in court. For twenty-five years, the Office for Civil Rights has been the federal government’s primary enforcer of those protections.
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ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION
With more than 1,800 affiliated parent organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, the National Parents Union is the united, independent voice of modern American families. We channel the power of parents into powerful policies that improve the lives of children, families and communities across the United States. https://nationalparentsunion.org/