This article was made possible through a partnership with Hagerty High School’s student-run newspaper, The Blueprint. You can also find this article on The Blueprint’s website.
Cultural clubs such as Black Student Union and Asian Culture Club have become a staple at high schools, providing a place for students to form a community of people with similar backgrounds and share their culture with others on campus. Latinos In Action differed slightly from more traditional cultural clubs due to their partnership with the official LIA organization. It was paired with a class of the same name, which had a specific curriculum, goals and opportunities for students provided by the organization.
On Sept. 24, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights ordered Seminole County to cut ties with Latinos In Action, citing that it was “discriminating based on race,” thus violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Once the letter was sent out, schools had to act quickly, as failure to cut ties with LIA would result in funding being cut from the county…