What is Education Discrimination?
It is against both state and federal law for an individual or school to be denied access or to receive a poor or lesser education because of his or her color, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, religion, or disability.
So what does this mean in practical terms? What does educational discrimination look like? Examples of education discrimination include, but are not limited to:
- School policies which have a disproportionate impact on minority students and families.
- School policies which refuse to excuse students from participating in an activity that violates their sincerely held religious beliefs.
Are all schools subject to these rules in Indiana?
No. Some educational institutions are exempt from these rules. Schools which have traditionally been all-male or all-female are given leeway to continue these practices, as changing their processes would be an unreasonable burden. Certain schools attached to religious institutions are also exempted from some of these restrictions, such as the requirement that attendees of a religiously-oriented school be members of the religious group.
What to do if you feel you've been the victim of Education Discrimination:
Call, write or visit the Commission within 180 days of the date in which the alleged act of discrimination occurred and describe the situation you feel was discriminatory. An experienced Intake Specialist will listen, advise and assist you accordingly.
NOTE: The online form is for submitting an inquiry to the ICRC. Complaints must be filed either by personal delivery, mail or fax. If you encounter problems working with the online form you might be better served to call The Commission at 1-800-628-2909.