LIVINGSTON COUNTY, Mich. – The United States Department of Justice and Hartland Consolidated School District entered a two-year agreement to strengthen the school’s ongoing response to allegations of student-on-student racial harassment.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan resolved an investigation with Hartland Consolidated School District in July 2022 into a student-on-student harassment incident. The complaint alleged Hartland failed to address pervasive race-based harassment of Black students in the district.
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Following the resolution in July 2022, the school district agreed to take several steps to address concerns raised during the investigation. In the letter, the Department of Justice reviewed Hartland’s compliance at the end of the 2022-23 school year. The Department of Justice determined the compliance period should be extended for another two years. Under the new agreement, Hartland will take additional steps to address concerns stemming from the July 2022 incident.
The extension agreement will build on the school district’s efforts, including more training for staff to identify and respond to racial harassment. Hartland also agreed to hold age-appropriate, district-wide training programs for students that focus on preventing racial harassment and improving the school environment. Hartland further agreed to improve its logging and response to allegations of racial harassment and to provide supportive measures to any affected students.
“I applaud the measures already taken by Hartland to address student-on-student racial harassment, but more needs to be done. We look forward to working hand-in-hand with Hartland to strengthen their response to racial harassment,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “We commend Hartland Consolidated School District for its willingness to improve the learning environment for all students.”
“Our public schools have a duty to foster a safe and welcoming learning environment for students,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “No student should have to endure racial slurs, derogatory treatment, or threats in a school. Racial harassment undermines a student’s chance to succeed and has no place in our Nation’s schools.”
