A Minnesota public highschool seems to have held courses open to black college students solely — a attainable violation of the US Structure’s most basic anti-segregation legal guidelines.
South Excessive College, part of the Minneapolis public faculty system, held two elective programs titled “HS BLACK Tradition – Constructing Lives and Buying Data” throughout the 2024-25 faculty 12 months.
The courses centered on the “lived actuality” of black women and men within the US — and seemed to be open solely to black college students, a syllabus obtained by the schooling watchdog group Defending Schooling and first reported by the Every day Mail confirmed.
“Open to: All black male college students,” the itemizing of 1 class learn, whereas the opposite learn, “Open to: All black feminine college students.”
It stays unclear whether or not the courses have been held once more throughout the present 2025-26 faculty 12 months, and whether or not they truly barred non-black college students from enrolling.
But when they did, South Excessive could have violated the US Supreme Court docket’s landmark 1954 Brown v. Board of Schooling ruling, which barred segregation in public colleges and started tearing down the “separate however equal” doctrines American racism ate up after the Civil Conflict.
“On this milestone determination, the Supreme Court docket dominated that separating youngsters in public colleges on the idea of race was unconstitutional,” the Nationwide Archives says of the historic ruling.
“It signaled the tip of legalized racial segregation within the colleges of america.”
The courses could have additionally violated Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which bars racial discrimination at organizations that obtain federal funding.
Neither South Excessive nor Minneapolis Public Colleges might be reached for remark by The Put up Thursday.
A spokesperson for the district didn’t dispute the syllabus in a press release to the Every day Mail — however was imprecise about whether or not non-black college students may enroll within the controversial courses.
“All college students are welcome to request any class that they’re fascinated with, supplied they meet any relevant tutorial stipulations,” the district mentioned.
“Our values embrace prioritizing a scholar’s sense of belonging, security, wellness, and respect in school,” the spokesperson mentioned, including that the district was “dedicated to offering a secure and welcoming studying atmosphere for all of our college students.”
The courses seemed to be a part of the college district’s Workplace of Black Pupil Achievement (OBSA), which was established in 2014 to “facilitate an atmosphere that’s attentive to Black college students,” in keeping with its webpage.
Black college students are the biggest demographic in Minneapolis Public Colleges, in keeping with OBSA, which provides that black girls and boys face “inequalities” within the public faculty system.
South Excessive is situated in far-left “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar’s congressional district — and simply down the highway from the place George Floyd was murdered by police in 2020.
Some critics characterised the courses as outrageous and hypocritical measures to handle America’s struggles with racism.
“It’s appalling that in 2025, faculty districts suppose it’s socially and legally acceptable to allegedly supply courses solely to college students based mostly on immutable traits,” Defending Schooling director Rhyen Staley informed the Mail.
“This observe solely seeds mistrust and resentment and should cease wherever it’s occurring.”
