Recognizing, Preventing, and Remedying Racial Harassment and Hostile Environments in Schools: Part I

Race, color, and national origin harassment regularly occurs in America’s schools and inflicts harm on the students and communities that experience it. School districts that receive federal financial assistance must take steps to prevent and remedy such harassment or risk violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in a program or activity that receives federal financial assistance, including in any public or private school that receives such assistance. This report explains key terms, such as the difference between harassment and a hostile environment, how to remedy and prevent harassment and a hostile environment, and why working to build environments free of harassment and discrimination matters. This report also includes illustrative examples of harassment drawn from the enforcement work of the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education and social science research regarding the harms of race, color, and national origin harassment and hostile learning environments, as well as how to remedy them.