Justice Department Makes Moves to Undo Certain Civil Rights Protections

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January 6, 2021

By Joe Jurado, The Root

According to the New York Times, the Justice Department has proposed a change to the way Title VI of the Civil Rights Act is enforced. Title VI prohibits organizations that receive federal funding from discriminating based on race, skin color, or nationality. A wide range of organizations falls under these protections including housing programs, employers, and even schools.

The change proposed by the DOJ would have the department no longer providing protections in instances where a certain policy has a “disparate impact” on non-white people. The disparate impact rule is necessary because as we know racism isn’t just someone calling you a slur; it’s typically a pattern of behavior. This rule provides a way for that behavior to be examined and then compared with other groups to prove inequity.

Former Attorney General Bill Barr
Source: Bill Pugliano (Getty Images)

Should the revision be approved by the White House, which it’s expected to, it will be the first major revision to how Title VI defines discriminatory behavior in almost 50 years.

Read the full article here

Learn more about the American Civil Rights Act here

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