The PBC School District Violated the Civil Rights Act – Top 3 Takeaways – April 24th, 2025 - Driven By Braman Motorcars
Takeaway #1: The Palm Beach County School District violated the Civil Rights Act
Oh, by the way...that happened. That’s a fun thought, isn’t it? I’ll explain. On Wednesday, the same day that the Palm Beach County School District voted to end its discriminatory Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program and related policies, to come into compliance with federal law so as not to lose $300 million in federal funding, the School District also had two related regularly scheduled DEI meetings. There’s irony. Wednesday was the monthly meeting day for the Palm Beach County School District’s Diversity & Equity Ad Hoc Subcommittee for Special Projects Meeting (emphasis on special I went back to listen to prior meetings...). Now, there’s a good chance you didn’t know there was such a thing but there was. And what was the purpose of said Ad Hoc DEI Subcommittee? To focus on specific projects or issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the school district and addressing diversity and equity concerns in academic and operational programs. But wait there’s more because Wednesday was also the monthly scheduled meeting day for the District Diversity and Equity Committee. What was this committee? An advisory body within the Palm Beach County School District was established to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the district’s academic and operational programs. It advised the School Board and Superintendent on policies and practices to ‘ensure’ equitable treatment and opportunities for students, staff, and the community, particularly focusing on ‘underrepresented or marginalized groups’...which, as an aside, is an interesting thought experiment unto itself. What actually is an underrepresented or marginalized group? And who exactly is it that decides? I’m represented by Lois Frankel, does that qualify? Silly me for thinking we're not equal under the law? Maybe they mean illegal immigrants since, you know, they lack representation because they’re here illegally? Now, I’ve pointed these committees and scheduled meetings out for a couple of reasons. First, to make you aware that the district’s DEI’s initiative ran deeper than just having a figure head, Keith Oswald, as the Chief of Equity and Wellness (someone they’re keeping btw, but under a different title). Second, because it helps illustrate...
Takeaway #2: The extent of the district’s DEI discrimination
So, about that...when the district had to make changes to come into compliance with federal law what did that mean? That meant they needed to overhaul hiring practices, the district’s policy for the transferring of students between schools, way the district selected coaches and handled extracurricular activities, vendors who received priority and the school district’s auditing...yes auditing! Who knew you needed diversity there too! Incidentally the auditing policy that had to be stuck down read that the Audit Committee was to “take into consideration representation from various racial and ethnic groups”. That’s another fun one. What were they supposed to do, audit on a curve for certain schools...you know the ones with ‘underrepresented or marginalized groups’. Now, not only have you been paying for this nonsense in our schools, and remember that the next time the school district tries to get you to vote for a special school tax, but, as my top takeaways suggested, we’ve been paying for our schools to violate the Civil Rights Act. That’s an especially fun one, isn’t it? The way the School District’s DEI departure is commonly being communicated is that they’ve dropped DEI policies to avoid losing federal funding – which is true. That’s the impetus behind this. But in reality, what this really is, is the federal government via the U.S. Department of Education...
Takeaway #3: Forcing compliance of the Civil Rights Act
As was stated in a letter from the U.S. Department of Education on February 14th, that led to the PBC’s School District DEI departure yesterday: In recent years, American educational institutions have discriminated against students on the basis of race, including white and Asian students, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds and low-income families. These institutions’ embrace of pervasive and repugnant race-based preferences and other forms of racial discrimination have emanated throughout every facet of academia. For example, colleges, universities, and K-12 schools have routinely used race as a factor in admissions, financial aid, hiring, training, and other institutional programming. Proponents of these discriminatory practices have attempted to further justify them—particularly during the last four years—under the banner of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (“DEI”), smuggling racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming, and discipline. But under any banner, discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin is, has been, and will continue to be illegal. So, this in a nutshell sums up what the Palm Beach School District has been doing. Violating the Civil Rights Act, while allegedly teaching it. And because it ran so deep with a defacto DEI director, whom they’re keeping on under a different title (Because, after all, why wouldn’t we want to repurpose the person directing the violation of the Civil Rights Act in our schools?), a DEI committee, a DEI subcommittee and policies affecting everything right down to auditing – that's why they had an emergency this week. The school board members responsible for this must be held accountable for this.