Carter v. U.S. Department of Education
This federal lawsuit, filed on behalf of several parents and students from multiple states, seeks to restore the functions of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and reverse recent actions that effectively eliminate OCR’s ability to process and investigate civil rights complaints.
Each of the plaintiffs in the suit, represented by NCYL, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA), have pending claims with OCR alleging discrimination on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or disability. Following substantial cuts to OCR, the lawsuit asks the judge to order the Department to restore OCR’s capacity to fully conduct civil rights investigations as required by law.
The lawsuit details how OCR effectively deserted its core function of investigating complaints from students and families. OCR, since March 2025, has been devastated by mass layoffs and closures of seven of 12 regional offices. These moves have obstructed families’ access to OCR’s complaint and investigation process. This is particularly harmful, as thousands of students and families each year turn to OCR as a last resort for oversight and accountability. The plaintiffs further argue that with the few investigations that OCR is commencing, they are unlawfully selecting those investigations on the basis of race, sex, and gender.
The Department of Education has provided no information or apparent plan for how student and family rights will be protected. The plaintiffs allege that the actions of the Department of Education and OCR violate the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause and the federal Administrative Procedure Act.
The lawsuit was initially filed on March 14, 2025, in federal district court in Washington, D.C. An amended complaint, with additional plaintiffs, was filed April 10, 2025 and a Second Amended Complaint with more plaintiff families was filed on January 9, 2026.
On January 5, 2026, the Department rescinded its March 2025 reduction-in-force. The parties are currently negotiating a potential settlement.