Sen. Markey Slams Trump Administration Decision to Gut Federal Oversight of School Desegregation

Letter Text (PDF)

Washington (November 13, 2026) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, sent a letter to Department of Justice (DOJ) then Acting Assistant Attorney General Jesus Osete to demand answers from the DOJ after its Civil Rights Division moved to dismiss more than 50 school desegregation cases. In the letter, Senator Markey urged the DOJ to explain the drastic deviation from its mandate of protecting students' civil rights and questioned the agency's decision to end its involvement in the cases.

In the letter, Senator Markey wrote, "In several recent cases, courts have continued to find intentional discrimination and segregated school environments. In some instances, reporting shows that racial segregation has worsened over time in school districts where DOJ has abandoned its watchdog role. And in other cases, DOJ has appeared to water down the evidentiary standards and scrutiny it applies in evaluating cases for dismissal…It appears that the Trump administration is seeking to curtail federal civil rights enforcement in education rather than using available tools to create fairer learning environments for children. In a period of rising school segregation, we should be conducting more oversight and enforcement of civil rights, not less."

Senator Markey continued, "As we reflect on the 250th anniversary of our nation's founding, we must strive to fulfill America's promise that all are created equal. Since the landmark Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education and the enactment of Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the United States has made progress towards that goal. I urge the Department of Justice to ensure we remain on the path to fully achieving it, so that all our nation's students can learn free from discrimination and in environments that allow them to achieve their full potential."

Senator Markey requested answers by December 1 to questions including:

1. In how many school desegregation cases has DOJ sought or supported dismissal, termination of a desegregation order, or withdrawal of DOJ's participation since January 20, 2025?
2. Has DOJ changed its policies, practices, procedures, or the legal standards it applies for determining whether a school district has satisfied its desegregation obligations since January 20, 2025?
3. For each covered case, what evidence did DOJ review before deciding to seek or support dismissal or termination of federal oversight?
4. Since January 20, 2025, what steps did DOJ take to independently verify each school district's compliance with its desegregation obligations before seeking or supporting dismissal?
5. In any covered case, did DOJ identify evidence of continuing segregation, racial disparities, or noncompliance with a desegregation order?
6. What notice and opportunity for input did DOJ provide to private plaintiffs, students, parents, and affected communities before seeking or supporting dismissal in each case?
7. Who participated in reviewing and approving DOJ's decision to seek or support dismissal in each covered case?
8. How have staffing reductions or changes in enforcement priorities within DOJ's Civil Rights Division affected its review and monitoring of school desegregation cases since January 20, 2025?

Senator Markey is fighting back against the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle civil rights protections for students. In August, Senator Markey wrote to Linda McMahon, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, condemning the agency's efforts to gut the Equity Assistance Centers (EACs), which provide free technical assistance to school districts, states, and communities to prepare, adopt, and implement plans to desegregate public schools in compliance with federal civil rights law.

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