Boston schools hit with civil rights complaint

By Associated Press

BOSTON - A coalition of lawyers and educators has filed a federal civil rights complaint against the Boston public schools over a school closure plan it says discriminates against black and Latino students.

The Boston Bar Association’s lawyers’ committee for civil rights under law and the Black Educators’ Alliance of Massachusetts announced Monday that they have filed their complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.

The complaint alleges that the district’s new "redesign and reinvest plan," which proposes to close several schools in the district, disproportionately affects black and Latino students since those schools are in largely minority neighborhoods.


But Boston Superintendent Carol Johnson said the schools slated for closure were selected because they are among the lowest chosen by families and have been struggling academically.

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