Community Organizations Representing Students and Parents Ask to Intervene in Federal Lawsuit to Defend Equal Access to Selective Boston Public Schools

The multi-racial coalition seeks to defend efforts to give all students an equal opportunity to compete for admission to Boston's selective exam schools.
Share
For Immediate Release
Contact
Aleisha Flores (771)-233-8202 aflores@advancingjustice-aajc.org
LDF Media 212-965-2200 media@naacpldf.org
LatinoJustice, PRLDF media@latinojustice.org
AALDEF Media media@aaldef.org

BOSTON, MA – Today, the Legal Defense Fund, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, LatinoJusticePRLDEF, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-AAJC filed a motion to intervene and a proposed motion to dismiss in Boston Parent Coalition for Academic Excellence v. Boston School Committee on behalf of two community organizations who represent Black, Latinx, and Asian families in Boston: Boston Education Justice Alliance (BEJA) and the Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network (APIs CAN).

In their motion to intervene, the multi-racial coalition seeks to defend the Boston Public Schools’ (BPS) efforts to give all students, including underserved students, an equal opportunity to compete for admission to Boston’s three selective exam schools: Boston Latin School, Boston Latin Academy, and the John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics & Science. The coalition also explains that BPS’ efforts are particularly appropriate given that, for decades, Black, Latinx, and low-income Asian American students were not given an equal opportunity to compete for admission. Further, in the proposed motion to dismiss, the coalition argues that these lawful reforms are a step toward an equitable system for all Boston students, not a violation of anyone’s constitutional rights.

“Every student deserves a fair chance to succeed, and our collective future is brighter when all children have access to quality education,” said BEJA Executive Director Keondré McClay. “For too long, many talented Black and Latinx public school students in Boston have faced unnecessary barriers that deny them a fair chance to attend schools that reflect their full potential.”

“We’ve fought hard for decades to level the playing field and ensure that BPS, including its Exam Schools, welcomes students from a wider range of backgrounds and experiences, including low-income Asian American students,” said APIs CAN Executive Director Jaya Savita. “Schools should be places where all young learners can thrive and build a strong foundation for their future.”

Counsel for the proposed defendant-intervenors issued the following statement:

“While talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. And for decades, prior admissions practices and policies unjustly denied many talented students a fair shot at admission to Boston’s selective public schools. The school board’s attempts to make the admissions process fairer – while not perfect – are a marked improvement on a process that systematically excluded Black, Latinx, and low-income Asian American students from a meaningful opportunity to compete for admission to the Exam Schools. Their efforts should not be challenged in court. We are proud to stand with community members in Boston to seek intervention in this case and will work diligently to ensure that young students of all backgrounds can access a quality education.”

Read the full brief in support of the motion to intervene here.

Read the full brief in support of the proposed motion to dismiss here.

### 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC (Advancing Justice | AAJC) is a national non-partisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to ensuring Asian Americans have equal access to resources and opportunities to provide for our families and communities and to fully participate in our American democracy. Our mission is to advance the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and to build and promote a fair and equitable society for all. For over 30 years, we have served as the leading Asian American voice on civil rights issues in our nation’s capital. Advancing Justice | AAJC programs seek to bridge the gap between policymakers and our community, raising awareness of the challenges facing Asian Americans while promoting policies that will directly improve the lives of our community members.

Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Equal Protection Initiative seeks to defend and advance the proper interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause and anti-discrimination law so that we can all continue to advance equal opportunity for all. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.

LatinoJustice PRLDEF works to create a more just society by using and challenging the rule of law to secure transformative, equitable and accessible justice, by empowering our community and by fostering leadership through advocacy and education. For over 50 years, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has acted as an advocate against injustices throughout the country. To learn more about LatinoJustice, visit www.LatinoJustice.org

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) was founded in 1974 to protect and promote the civil rights of Asian Americans. AALDEF serves diverse Asian communities around the country in solidarity with each other, communities of color, and marginalized groups. Community lawyering is at the heart of AALDEF’s work, which combines litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing to secure human rights for all people.