ADC Helps Expose Discrimination In Michigan School District
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), welcomes the findings and course of action taken by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) into a recent investigation of the Crestwood School District (Michigan). The findings determined that Arab Americans are subject to discriminatory practices by the District and calls for immediate measures to be taken to rid of these practices.
In 2012 Ms. Hiam Brinjikji, a teacher and high school counselor for the Crestwood District for over 10 years, contacted ADC regarding the continuous and increased systematic discrimination faced by Arab American prospective teachers seeking employment with the District. Ms. Brinjikji alleges that the school district has failed to hire Arab American staff to serve the increasing English Language Learners (ELL) and cultural needs of the Arab American students. Ms. Brinjikji further alleges that the Crestwood School District has engaged in systematic discrimination against prospective Arab American teachers in a district that teaches a majority of Arab American students. Ms. Brinjikji also claims that she has been retaliated against for raising such concerns within the Crestwood School District.
The EEOC has determined that the District violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by discriminating against Arab Americans in recruitment and hiring. The federal agency has also issued a conciliation agreement, containing the type of relief necessary to remedy the violations of the statute.
ADC Michigan Advisory Board Co-Chair, and attorney for Ms. Brinjikji, Mr. Shareef Akeel expressed, “The government’s findings are a significant victory for students and teachers. Discrimination has no place in schools. Our client became the voice for these kids and suffered for fighting for them. There is a strong sense of vindication here.”
The ruling, <a href=”http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=OQkn6AKoLgRDAQcIjGsU9Q0AqW2nEf%2F2″>which can be read here</a>, is recommending the district compensate the counselor — Ms. Hiam Brinjikji — $40,000 and agree to a host of steps to change its hiring practices. The district must, within 60 days, develop a written policy and plan that describes how it will recruit, hire and promote a wide and diverse pool of candidates to achieve and maintain a diverse faculty and staff. One of the steps requires that notices about staff openings be sent to the ADC for postings.
Approximately 4,000 students populate the Crestwood School District, where the majority of students are Arab or Arab American. Given the tremendous influx of Iraqi Refugees and Arab student immigration in recent years, the need for adequate educational resources and Bilingual services has continued to increase. Ms. Brinjikji has been disciplined for voicing her concerns and her work conditions ultimately made unbearable.
The Department of Education, and the Department of Justice, both have respectively opened an investigation against the District to determine if student diversity needs are being met. As the nation’s largest Arab American Civil Rights organization, ADC stresses the importance of a transparent, thorough review related to the allegations.
If you have experienced employment discrimination please <a href=”mailto:legalintern@adc.org”>contact the ADC Pro Bono Legal Department.</a>