Highland Park Senior High School canceled a field trip after a retired teacher filed a discrimination complaint.
The St. Paul high school district in Minnesota had set up a career event for students who “identify as a student of color” to help expose them to digital marketing and advertising careers, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported. Retired professor Mark Perry responded by arguing it violated Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act and the anti-discrimination policy of the district itself. This is one of many schools across the nation that have made headlines for hosting events that purportedly appeared to exclude White students.
“Just as it would be illegal and objectionable for [Highland Park Senior High School] to offer a field trip that explicitly excluded students of color… it’s equally illegal and objectionable to host a racially segregated field trip exclusively for ‘students of color,’” Perry wrote in a letter Tuesday to Principal Winston Tucker and the The BrandLab agency behind the event.
Perry reportedly described himself in this letter as a “full-time civil rights activist who has successfully filed nearly 1,000 federal civil rights complaints against many hundreds of U.S. colleges, universities and K-12 public schools.”
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANGES ‘ILLEGAL’ PROGRAM THAT EXCLUDED WHITE MEN
Tucker reportedly told the retired professor that very day that The BrandLab was canceling the event.
Perry had also reportedly called out the district with a similar civil rights complaint for planning a “Girls in Science” learning program, which has changed to a “Kids in Science” program.
While he filed his complaint this week with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in Chicago, the Star Tribune reported that he now plans to withdraw it “once a case number for the complaint is assigned.”
With the event now being canceled, “the basis for a Title VI complaint no longer exists,” he said.
St. Paul Public Schools spokesperson Erica Wacker responded to the incident by arguing the district is careful about its anti-discrimination policy. One example she cited to The Star Tribune is that National African American Parent Involvement Day is “designed for a specific group of people, but it’s open to anyone.” She contested that when mistakes are made, however, they typically are due to an external partner.
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Wacker told Fox News Digital, “From the school district’s perspective, Saint Paul Public Schools values our partnerships with community organizations like The BrandLab and the opportunities they provide for our students. The district remains committed to providing post-secondary and career-related opportunities for all of our students to pursue their passions.”
The BrandLab also spoke to The Star Tribune, declaring it is “committed to inclusivity in marketing and advertising, truly representing the world we live in,” and that it is working with the same high school to set up a new event.
The BrandLab’s declares on its website that it seeks to “empower young talent from Indigenous, Black, Brown, AAPI and Hispanic/Latinx backgrounds.”
Fox News Digital reached out to The BrandLab and received a response from its CEO, Kelli Williams.
“The BrandLab is a nonprofit organization based in the Twin Cities with operations in Milwaukee as well. The organization has been in existence for over 15 years and is committed to inclusivity in marketing and advertising, truly representing the world we live in,” Williams’ statement read.
Williams confirmed the trip was indeed canceled.
“One of our programs provides exposure opportunities for high school students to learn more about the advertising and marketing professions through field trips to local agencies and businesses. We were working with Highland Park High School to find 11th and 12th grade students interested in attending a field trip on Thursday, February 27th,” she wrote. “There was a complaint filed regarding this field trip. As a result, we did cancel the field trip for Thursday. “
While Fox News Digital had asked in an inquiry about whether “inclusivity” means also including White students, and whether the new event will include students of all races, Williams addressed about the importance of DEI in the current political climate.
“We are working to find an opportunity for students from Highland Park High School to attend a field trip before the end of the school year,” her statement read. “Due to evolving policies and economic pressures, companies are being challenged to reevaluate their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Some governmental, corporate and philanthropic funders have redirected resources elsewhere. In response, The BrandLab calls for supporters to ensure that our mission not only endures but expands. The stakes have never been higher, and this support is crucial in sustaining and growing our impact at this pivotal time.”
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Highland Park Senior High School canceled a field trip after a retired teacher filed a discrimination complaint.
The St. Paul high school district in Minnesota had set up a career event for students who “identify as a student of color” to help expose them to digital marketing and advertising careers, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported. Retired professor Mark Perry responded by arguing it violated Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act and the anti-discrimination policy of the district itself. This is one of many schools across the nation that have made headlines for hosting events that purportedly appeared to exclude White students.
“Just as it would be illegal and objectionable for [Highland Park Senior High School] to offer a field trip that explicitly excluded students of color… it’s equally illegal and objectionable to host a racially segregated field trip exclusively for ‘students of color,’” Perry wrote in a letter Tuesday to Principal Winston Tucker and the The BrandLab agency behind the event.
Perry reportedly described himself in this letter as a “full-time civil rights activist who has successfully filed nearly 1,000 federal civil rights complaints against many hundreds of U.S. colleges, universities and K-12 public schools.”
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANGES ‘ILLEGAL’ PROGRAM THAT EXCLUDED WHITE MEN
Tucker reportedly told the retired professor that very day that The BrandLab was canceling the event.
Perry had also reportedly called out the district with a similar civil rights complaint for planning a “Girls in Science” learning program, which has changed to a “Kids in Science” program.
While he filed his complaint this week with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in Chicago, the Star Tribune reported that he now plans to withdraw it “once a case number for the complaint is assigned.”
With the event now being canceled, “the basis for a Title VI complaint no longer exists,” he said.
St. Paul Public Schools spokesperson Erica Wacker responded to the incident by arguing the district is careful about its anti-discrimination policy. One example she cited to The Star Tribune is that National African American Parent Involvement Day is “designed for a specific group of people, but it’s open to anyone.” She contested that when mistakes are made, however, they typically are due to an external partner.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
Wacker told Fox News Digital, “From the school district’s perspective, Saint Paul Public Schools values our partnerships with community organizations like The BrandLab and the opportunities they provide for our students. The district remains committed to providing post-secondary and career-related opportunities for all of our students to pursue their passions.”
The BrandLab also spoke to The Star Tribune, declaring it is “committed to inclusivity in marketing and advertising, truly representing the world we live in,” and that it is working with the same high school to set up a new event.
The BrandLab’s declares on its website that it seeks to “empower young talent from Indigenous, Black, Brown, AAPI and Hispanic/Latinx backgrounds.”
Fox News Digital reached out to The BrandLab and received a response from its CEO, Kelli Williams.
“The BrandLab is a nonprofit organization based in the Twin Cities with operations in Milwaukee as well. The organization has been in existence for over 15 years and is committed to inclusivity in marketing and advertising, truly representing the world we live in,” Williams’ statement read.
Williams confirmed the trip was indeed canceled.
“One of our programs provides exposure opportunities for high school students to learn more about the advertising and marketing professions through field trips to local agencies and businesses. We were working with Highland Park High School to find 11th and 12th grade students interested in attending a field trip on Thursday, February 27th,” she wrote. “There was a complaint filed regarding this field trip. As a result, we did cancel the field trip for Thursday. “
While Fox News Digital had asked in an inquiry about whether “inclusivity” means also including White students, and whether the new event will include students of all races, Williams addressed about the importance of DEI in the current political climate.
“We are working to find an opportunity for students from Highland Park High School to attend a field trip before the end of the school year,” her statement read. “Due to evolving policies and economic pressures, companies are being challenged to reevaluate their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Some governmental, corporate and philanthropic funders have redirected resources elsewhere. In response, The BrandLab calls for supporters to ensure that our mission not only endures but expands. The stakes have never been higher, and this support is crucial in sustaining and growing our impact at this pivotal time.”
