Marcus Must Correct Anti-Civil Rights Record of DeVos Education Department

WASHINGTON – Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after the Senate confirmed, on a party line vote, Kenneth Marcus to serve as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education.

“Today the Senate irresponsibly confirmed an individual to lead the education civil rights office who has failed to demonstrate his commitment to our civil rights laws and marginalized communities. Ken Marcus, throughout his confirmation process, showed a willingness to support the anti-civil rights actions of President Trump and Secretary DeVos. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has a mandate to enforce core nondiscrimination laws in schools and protect children from discrimination. Those responsibilities are not optional. Now it is incumbent upon Marcus to take the mandate of the office seriously, correct the mistakes of the past, and fulfill his duties. Our children deserve no less.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.