The Department of Justice has launched a major civil rights lawsuit against Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), accusing the district of engaging in open, systemic discrimination against teachers based on race and sex.
According to the federal complaint filed, the DOJ alleges that Minneapolis Public Schools and its school board adopted a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that explicitly shielded “teachers of color” from layoffs, while forcing white and non-preferred teachers to be fired, reassigned, or skipped over, regardless of seniority or qualifications.
The same race-based rules apply when teachers are reinstated. Under the contract, teachers of color are rehired first, even if white teachers were laid off earlier and have more experience.
According to the complaint:
“The United States brings this action to stop the Board of Directors of Special School District No. 1, Minneapolis Public Schools (Board), Special School District No. 1, the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), and MPS Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams (collectively, Defendants) from discriminating against teachers based on their race, color, sex, and national origin in violation of federal law.
Since at least July 1, 2021, Defendants have contracted with a teacher’s union to provide black teachers, teachers of color, and “underrepresented” teachers preferential treatment in employment decisions—such as involuntary reassignments, layoffs, and reinstatements—based on their race, color, sex, and national origin. This preferential treatment is plainly discriminatory and unlawful.”
The lawsuit also highlights a separate and even more explicit discrimination scheme involving an organization called “Black Men Teach.”
Under a special memorandum of agreement embedded in the contract, Black male teachers receive exclusive benefits unavailable to women or non-Black teachers, including:
- Protection from layoffs and reassignment
- Priority hiring at certain schools
- Five additional paid days off per year for training and professional development
Only Black men are eligible for the program, meaning white teachers, Asian teachers, Hispanic teachers, and women of any race are automatically excluded.
Federal lawyers argue this amounts to open race- and sex-based discrimination, flatly prohibited by civil rights law.
“Discrimination is unacceptable in all forms, especially when it comes to hiring decisions,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“Our public education system in Minnesota and across the country must be a bastion of merit and equal opportunity — not DEI.”
“Employers may not provide more favorable terms and conditions of employment based on an employee’s race and sex,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
“The Department of Justice will vigorously pursue employers who deny their employees equal opportunities and benefits by classifying and limiting them based on their race, color, national origin, or sex.”
Read the complaint below:
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