A Black girl in a Michigan middle school endured racial slurs, including being called a “monkey” and the n-word. Her mother filed a complaint with the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, which launched an investigation. However, the Trump administration froze the investigation, along with dozens of others, and prioritized cases involving transgender athletes and conservative priorities.

Investigations Frozen

The Office for Civil Rights, responsible for ensuring students can attend school free of racial harassment, had documented allegations of harassment and expressed concern that the district had failed to properly respond. But instead of resolving the case, the Trump administration indefinitely froze it, along with more than three dozen other investigations.

According to current and former employees, the administration cut the staff at the Office for Civil Rights by more than half and closed seven of 12 regional offices, overwhelming the remaining staff. The administration also prioritized investigating cases such as schools that allow transgender girls to compete on girls’ sports teams and colleges that promote race- or gender-based scholarships.

Consequences of Inaction

The inaction on racial and sexual harassment cases has resulted in no federally mandated protections for students, consequences, or accountability for the schools involved. The Office for Civil Rights has completed only three settlements related to racial harassment and no agreements regarding sexual harassment or violence since President Trump’s second term began.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.