Parents Defending Education filed the complaint after uncovering BPS was operating racially segregated "affinity groups" for teachers and parents.
The district’s goal was to help white teachers and parents be less racist.
PDE uncovered several district lesson plans and other documents showing the existence of the groups.
Caroline Moore of Parents Defending Education.
"The nature of public schools means that everybody should be treated exactly the same, and if teachers and parents alike are being treated differently, that’s definitely discrimination in the workplace."
Moore says to meet certain racial quotas for mentorship programs, accreditation and merit qualifications were ignored.
“If you're kind of throwing the accreditation and the merit out the window … this creates a bad atmosphere at the peer-to-peer educator level, but also this trickles down into the students, and there's a worry that they're not ever going to meet grade level standards."
The complaint is not the first time PDE has challenged Boston Public Schools on its affinity groups. PDE wrote about the problem in August of 2023.
White folks: Face your indoctrination
One BPS document explained the objectives of its affinity groups then, challenging white people to admit their racists tendencies and take the lead in correcting themselves.
“Anti-racist affinity groups for white people are an opportunity to develop their understanding of the historical and current realities of how internalized, interpersonal, institutional, and systemic racism manifest; to face their indoctrination and participation in white supremacy; and become increasingly effective at disrupting racism, applying racial equity strategies, and building authentic relationships with people of color. These affinity groups are a place for white people to take responsibility for their own learning.”
