Last month, the ACLU sued the Pittsburg Unified School District for discrimination in its special education classes. The lawsuit alleges that outcomes for disabled students in the district are so poor it amounts to denying the students their right to an education.
The ACLU says Pittsburg Unified disproportionately placed Black students and English learners in special education classrooms, did not provide them the services they needed, and was more likely to suspend or expel those students.
In this interview, Linnea Nelson, the ACLU’s lead attorney on the case, talks about what role race plays in this case.
This interview was produced by Ellen Finn
