DOJ Launches Federal Civil Rights Probe into Des Moines Public Schools Over Race-Based Hiring

The U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has initiated a formal investigation into Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) concerning alleged race-based employment discrimination. The probe seeks to determine if DMPS’s hiring and retention practices violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The investigation focuses on several DMPS policies, including requirements for teaching staff to match student demographics and cultural responsivity, specific quotas for increasing the number of “teachers of color” in its affirmative action plan, and a staff retention strategy that prioritizes “lifting up voices of our People of Color.” Additionally, the district operates the “3D Coalition” project, designed to recruit and hire “aspiring minority teachers.”

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated, “DEI initiatives and race-based hiring preferences in our schools violate federal anti-discrimination laws and undermine educational priorities.” Dhillon emphasized the need for school districts to cease such programs and reinstate merit-based employment practices for the benefit of both students and employees. The notice letter outlining the investigation is publicly available.

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