The U.S. Department of Education is in the process of negotiating with the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, Texas, over civil rights complaints filed by four students. These complaints allege racist and anti-LGBTQ discrimination at the school. The Education Department’s civil rights enforcement arm has taken the step of contacting the district to begin negotiating a resolution agreement in response to the allegations, indicating that the students’ civil rights may have been violated. This development comes three years after the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed federal complaints on behalf of the students.
The four students reported experiencing a variety of racist and homophobic slurs and comments while attending Carroll. One student faced retaliation after reporting racial harassment, while another contemplated suicide due to bullying related to their sexual orientation. The district was accused of failing to address these issues. The Southlake school system now has 90 days to reach an agreement with the Education Department on steps to address the problems identified in the complaints. This negotiation process typically occurs after a finding that students’ civil rights have been violated.
The local debate over racism in Carroll schools gained national attention in 2021 when conservative parents rejected a plan aimed at preventing discrimination. This led to the formation of the Southlake Families PAC and the election of hard-line conservative candidates to the school board. The Education Department subsequently opened investigations into multiple civil rights complaints against the district. Federal officials could potentially require Carroll to implement diversity and inclusion programs that local voters have previously rejected in elections.
Despite concerns from some activists about federal overreach, the Education Department maintains that its work is not retaliatory and serves as a neutral fact-finder with any complaint. In recent years, Carroll ISD has made changes that diversity advocates argue have made the district less inclusive. The district eliminated language explicitly prohibiting discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation, as well as adopted a resolution opposing expanded Title IX protections for LGBTQ students.
Moving forward, the Carroll Independent School District may need to comply with changes recommended by the Education Department to address discrimination or risk losing federal funding. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund has called for the implementation of policies included in the Cultural Competence Action Plan, such as diversity training for students and staff. Community activist groups and former students hope for remedies that will address the hostile environment at Carroll and protect all students. The investigation into the civil rights complaints could lead to positive changes for current and future students.
Former Carroll students, such as Raven Rolle and Mia Mariani, who faced discrimination at the school, hope that the federal civil rights investigations will bring about meaningful changes that benefit current and future students. Mariani, who experienced anti-LGBTQ bullying at Carroll, was surprised by the news that the Education Department was taking action in response to her complaint. She hopes that her case leads to improvements that prevent similar incidents from happening to other students in the future.
