Civil rights complaints in Carroll ISD rally new call for change

There are new calls for change in Carroll Independent School District after a federal report found civil rights violations against students following claims of racism and bullying.

Now, both the government and families are calling on the district to work towards a solution.

“Carroll ISD, Carroll school board specifically, you’re now on the clock,” said Russell Maryland at a press conference Tuesday.

Maryland was one of several former and current Carroll ISD families representing CREED, Cultural and Racial Equity for Every Dragon, and SARC, Southlake Anti-Racism Coalition.

Together, the groups are calling on the district to negotiate in good faith with the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to find a resolution.  

“We know OCR only invites parties to negotiate when they’ve found civil rights violations,” said parent Pam Francis.”

Angela Jones filed one of the four complaints on behalf of her youngest son.

“There was a window in ninth or tenth grade where my son, three months in a row, was called ‘filthy n-word’,” said Jones.

CREED and SARC say the complaints describe incidents where students were subjected to racial slurs, homophobic comments, and other verbal and physical harassment on the basis of race, gender identity and sexual harassment.

They say in those cases, the administration failed to provide appropriate intervention.

The groups are now calling on the district to address what it calls a “hostile environment” for marginalized students.

Failing to work with the Department of Education toward a solution could lead to a loss of federal funding.

Jones says it would also send a grim message.

“If you have a Black, brown, Jewish, Muslim or gay student, I would encourage you to rethink moving to Southlake because if CISD doesn’t negotiate, it’s telling you your children are not welcome here,” she said.

The Department of Education probe follows years of conflict between those pushing to provide protections for minority students and voters who opposed a diversity plan.

CREED AND SARC said the Department of Education is now providing a second chance.

“It’s not too late to change course. The district has been given the perfect opportunity to instate long overdue change,” said Carroll ISD graduate and SARC member Anya Kushwasha.

The groups hope to see that include the addition of diversity and inclusion training for students and staff, the adoption of a robust harassment complaint system, recruitment of a diverse staff, access to diverse teaching materials and a tracking system for acts of bullying and attacks.

When the investigations were announced in 2021, Carroll ISD Superintendent Dr. Lane Ledbetter told the community in a video address that the district would "absolutely comply" with changes ordered by the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights.

It has 90 days to reach an agreement.

NBC 5 reached out to the district for comment Tuesday and is awaiting a response.