A coalition of groups opposed to charter schools says it is filing federal civil rights complaints claiming discrimination by officials running school systems in New Orleans, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey.
Copies of the complaints were released today by the Journey for Justice Alliance. They say black students in the three cities suffer because of the closure of traditional public schools or the conversion of them into charter schools — run by independent organizations under charters approved by state or local education officials.
The complaints say black communities have suffered from the closure of neighborhood public schools.
In New Orleans, where almost all public schools are now chartered, the complaint says black students remain under-represented at high-performing schools.
Remedies sought include moratoriums on further closures or conversions to charter schools.