Book Description

The Office for Civil Rights (ocr) is a law enforcement agency primarily responsible for ensuring that recipients of federal assistance do not discriminate against students, faculty, or other individuals on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age. Ocr is responsible for enforcing the following Federal civil rights laws: the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title vi); the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title ix); the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504); and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. OCR's principal activity is resolving complaints of discrimination. Ocr received 3,809 complaints during fy 1991. Most were filed against elementary and secondary schools; 79 percent alleged discrimination in delivery of services; and nearly two-thirds alleged discrimination on the basis of handicap. Ocr holds compliance reviews of federal programs, monitors implementation of higher education desegregation plans, and reviews desegregation components of grant applications submitted under the Magnet Schools Assistance Program. Ocr also brings enforcement actions against recipients failing to collect civil rights violations and provides technical assistance to facilitate voluntary compliance. Fy 1991 priority issues included investigations of discrimination against second-language students in Hawaii, ability-grouping practices in an Illinois district, racial harassment in an Ohio district, and discrimination against pregnant students in Atlanta schools. Other interventions are discussed. (Mlh).