Discrimination Against Native Students in Wolf Point District Schools

The ACLU of Montana, Melina Healey and the Racial Justice clinic acting on behalf of the Tribal Executive Board of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation filed a Title VI complaint with the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice. The complaint details approximately 30 separate examples of discrimination against Indigenous children in the Wolf Point School District. The Office of Civil Rights began their investigation by visiting with students, parents and the administration in April 2019. A final report will be issued in the fall of 2019. If the report finds that there are Title VI violations, the District will be required to undertake certain actions to come into compliance with the Civil Rights Act. The Office of Civil Rights previously affirmed instances of discrimination against Native students in 2003, and monitored the schools between 2003 and 2008.