Texas district faces racial-bias inquiry

— A central Texas school district where a former principal was accused of blaming black students at one campus for bad test scores will be visited this week by U.S. Department of Education investigators looking into racial-discrimination allegations.

The Austin American-Statesman reported Saturday that officials with the Bastrop School District say they’re ready for the visit and that the district has addressed such complaints, including implementing a new diversity plan and diversity committee.

Federal investigators will be looking at six allegations, including claims that high school football coaches told Hispanic players to “run like you’re crossing the border” and complaints that teachers systematically edged minority students out of applying for the National Honor Society.

Superintendent Steve Murray said in a statement that the district looks forward to proving that it has dealt with incidents appropriately.

“While we take the allegations included in the complaint filed with [the Education Department] very seriously, we also know and understand that this complaint is over 18 months old,” Murray said.

District spokesman Donald Williams pointed to the makeup of its principals - nine of 14 are members of minority groups - as evidence that the district has fair hiring practices.

“Even the recent hires we’ve had are a very, very diverse group of individuals,” Williams said.

Officials also touted the new diversity plan and committee, which supporters say could make Bastrop an example for the state. The committee has 36 members - half of whom are black or Hispanic - and is made up of teachers, students, administrators and community members.

Front Section, Pages 10 on 02/24/2013

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