WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Senators Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Kelly Loeffler of Georgia sent a letter to Attorney General Barr asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate racial segregation in schools, particularly on college campuses.
“Sadly, there is evidence that segregation is a growing trend, especially on college campuses. A report released last year by the National Association of Scholars compiled hundreds of instances where college campuses have established or allowed programs or activities that are segregated on the basis of race, color or national origin,” the letter states. “That includes segregated residence halls, commencement ceremonies, cultural centers, student and alumni groups, ‘safe spaces,’ and even classes.”
The senators say these cases appear to violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which “prohibits discrimination on the basis of race in federally funded programs or activities and should be investigated as part of the nation’s commitment to equality before the law.”
The letter cites online discussion groups hosted by University of Michigan-Dearborn (UM-Dearborn) as an example of racial segregation on college campuses, writing, “On Sept. 8, the Center for Social Justice and Inclusion at UM-Dearborn hosted two virtual cafes that were segregated on the basis of race, with moderators also segregated on the basis of race.”
The senators claim the university created “whites-only” and “non-whites-only” events, in a manner “reminiscent of the doctrine of racial segregation overturned by Brown vs. Board of Education.”
According to the letter, UM-Dearborn’s chancellor later apologized for the events and reaffirmed the school’s “commitment to an inclusive campus community.”
The senators also cite resident assistant (RA) training sessions at the University of Kentucky as an example of segregation in schools. “The training for non-white students was called Healing Space for Staff of Color, and the training for white students was called the White Accountability Space.”
“Students who attended the ‘whites-only’ meeting were provided with supplementary materials that listed ‘common racist behaviors and attitudes of white people.’ One of the examples on the list was segregation,” the letter states.
The full letter can be read here.
Watch: Senator Tom Cotton Visits Gentry Schools
