Duncan will pressure schools to enforce civil rights laws

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Education Secretary Arne Duncan plans to announce Monday that his agency is ramping up enforcement of civil rights laws in schools and colleges, a move that seeks to draw a contrast with the policies of his Republican predecessors.

In a speech drafted for an appearance at a civil rights landmark in Selma, Ala., Duncan said the department’s Office for Civil Rights expects to issue a series of guidance letters to educators to address “issues of fairness and equity.” He said the department will also announce in coming weeks and months several enforcement actions to ensure that students have equal access to a college-prep curriculum, advanced courses, and classes in math and science.

“The truth is that, in the last decade, the Office for Civil Rights has not been as vigilant as it should have been in combating gender and racial discrimination and protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities,” Duncan said in the draft speech. “But that is about to change.”

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