Mass. school under investigation after barring white students from auditioning for school play 

A theater production at Newton North High School has brought the school district under a federal investigation by the Department of Education after the company banned white students from auditioning.

The Massachusetts school’s Theater Ink program presented a show titled “Lost and Found: Our Stories as People of Color,” which according to the show’s audition packet acted as “a safe space set aside for this exploration and for people of color be vulnerable and support each other.

At the time of the auditions last fall, the student director posted a video on the company’s website stating that ‘All BIPOC [Black, indigenous and people of color] North students are invited to audition.’

It was at this time that the national grassroots movement Parents in Defense of Education got involved and filed a complaint with the federal government that the school district discriminated against students based on race.

Newton North High School in an affluent suburb of Boston, Massachusetts

The complaint noted that the audition criteria, which included asking students about their race and ethnic identities, violated “both Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964…and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.” of the Constitution of the United States”.

PDE president and founder Nicole Neily told Fox that the school’s administration “failed its student body by allowing racially segregated production to go forward, and missed the opportunity to teach the lesson that racial discrimination is always there.” evil”.

In the Lost and Found audition packet, students were told that weekly rehearsals for the production would include “organized discussions about race and identity in our lives.”

The Newton Public School system, which is the entity being investigated by the DOE, previously said digital fox that it is committed to encouraging all of its students to participate in the theater program, “particularly students of color, who have been severely underrepresented in our programs.”

“While it focuses on the stories of the lives of our students of color, no one is turned away or excluded from participating in or having a role in Theater Ink’s production of ‘Lost and Found,’ Newton’s working theater and teaching program. North,” the district said.

‘Newton Public Schools does not exclude students on the basis of color, race, ethnicity, or religious background.’

However, NPS also condoned and offered a message of support for the Lost and Found theatrical effort, ostensibly offering a stamp of approval for high school students’ casting practices.

“We are proud of our students for the hard work they put in to not only bring together a diverse group of artists, but also to challenge one another to have difficult conversations about social issues,” the district said.

‘Theater Ink has consistently provided opportunities for students to tell and celebrate the narratives and stories of those who have historically been underrepresented.

“Amplifying the stories, experiences and history of students of color is just one component of our diverse fine and performing arts programs,” the statement continued, further offering that it fully endorses “the premise and educational value of this performance”.

A Newton North High School graduate shared on Facebook how devastated she was by the news that her alma mater had segregated its drama program and is now facing an investigation.

“What the hell, I’m horrified,” she wrote, sharing a link to coverage of the story. ‘This is not the high school I graduated from. We were all Tigers. Apparently not anymore. It’s time to clean house and weed out activist educators.’

A school poster for performances of Lost and Found: Our Stories as People of Color

An invitation to BIPOC students at Newton North High School to audition for Lost and Found

Lost & Found Audition Packet Pages for Students

The audition package segment of the show presented by PDE Online

The DOE Office for Civil Rights enforces Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program that has received federal financial assistance from the DOE.

NPS is a public entity that receives federal funds, so it falls under the jurisdiction of the department and must comply with federal civil rights law.

In a letter describing the ongoing investigation, the DOE wrote that even though the investigation was opened, it “in no way implies that OCR has made a determination on the merits of the complaint.”

‘During the investigation, OCR is a neutral investigator, collecting and analyzing relevant evidence from you, the District and other sources, as appropriate.’