FindLaw's Discrimination in Education section provides a general overview of these federal laws and applies them to real-life situations. Articles cover such as issues as the rights of limited-English proficient students and how to file a complaint for alleged education discrimination.
What Constitutes Education Discrimination?
There are a number of ways an individual may be discriminated against in an educational setting, mostly centering on the issue of inclusion or parity among the various protected classes. For instance, schools may not deny enrollment to members of a particular race; must be accessible to students with disabilities; and must provide equal opportunities to both genders, including athletic participation.
Education Discrimination: Key Federal Laws
As with most laws protecting the rights of historically marginalized individuals, discrimination in education has been chipped away through an incremental succession of laws. While some of these laws address overt discrimination, others address and try to fix inequities inherent in the system.
Below are brief summaries of the main federal laws prohibiting discrimination in educational institutions receiving federal funds:
Filing an Education Discrimination Complaint
Most of the above laws are enforced by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR). To file a complaint, submit (either in written form or online) your contact information, a general description of the discriminatory act, as well as the name and location of the educational institution. The time limit for filing a complaint is typically 180 days.