ST. LOUIS — Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey recently took decisive action against reported cases of discrimination in several Missouri school districts, underscoring his commitment to upholding the rights of all Missourians.
In several letters, Bailey directed his focus on three specific districts, issuing strong directives to halt any discriminatory practices against students and staff immediately.
Bailey's stance was clear, ordering the school districts to stop their discrimination.
"This is about protecting the constitutional rights of all Missourians to be free from discrimination," Bailey said in a statement. "As the chief legal officer for the State of Missouri, I am prepared to exercise my office’s full authority under the law, including the Missouri Human Rights Act, to ensure no Missouri school district discriminates against its students or staff. As long as I’m Attorney General, discrimination will be dead on arrival in this state."
Addressing Lindbergh School District, Bailey highlighted reports indicating the district's use of race-based criteria for its gifted program admissions.
"Racial discrimination is illegal in the United States," Bailey wrote in his letter to the district. "Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, its implementing regulations, and the recent Supreme Court case Students for Fair Admissions Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College make that crystal clear."
Bailey wrote that under both state and federal law, school districts may not treat students differently because of their race and may not set racial quotas.
In his letter to Parkway School District, Bailey raised concerns about reports suggesting the district was obstructing students from forming religious-based clubs, such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Bailey wrote that this prohibition extended to using campus announcement systems, hanging posters or holding meetings on school grounds.
"According to...Missouri statute, Parkway cannot discriminate against student groups who meet for religious reasons," he wrote in the letter. "The district must allow religious-based student groups, including groups like FCA, to organize and use school facilities under the same terms offered to other groups."
Parkway issued a statement regarding the letter, saying the accusations were unfounded.
"In fact, all four Parkway high schools have active and long-standing Fellowship of Christian Athletes clubs," the statement said. "We have other active faith-based student clubs in our high schools, including the Jewish Student Union, Muslim Student Union and Catholic Faith Club."
The school district said it understood the importance of student activities.
"We know when students have activities that are meaningful to them personally and create a sense of belonging, they are more successful at school," the statement read. "Parkway is committed to supporting the diversity of religions represented in our student bodies and providing clubs and activities to support their interests and needs."
In his communications to Webster Groves School District, Bailey highlighted reports indicating the district's use of race-based criteria in its hiring practices.
"As the chief legal officer of the State of Missouri, I will protect the constitutional rights of all Missourians including the right to work free from the evil of racial discrimination," Bailey wrote. "I am prepared to exercise my office's full authority under the law, including the Missouri Human Rights Act, to ensure that no Missouri employer discriminates against an applicant or employee because of the color of his or her skin. Racism has no place in Missouri."
Bailey reiterated that such actions directly violate state and federal laws.
In response to these alleged discriminatory practices in each of these school districts, Bailey issued cease and desist orders to the respective districts.
Bailey firmly stated that he would utilize the full extent of his authority under the law to ensure that Missouri's students and staff are protected from such discriminatory treatment.