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/1🚨BREAKING — AFL filed a federal civil rights complaint against Cherry Creek School District for branding student misconduct “culturally appropriate” and blocking student discipline based on race.

@TheJusticeDept and @usedgov must investigate.

The facts are OUTRAGEOUS.

/2 AFL’s complaint exposes a district-wide system of race-based decision making in which @CCSDK12 officials replaced equal treatment with ideological favoritism — including in student discipline.

Staff say this racial framework left them with “no ability to enforce anything.”

@CCSDK12 /3 AFL obtained whistleblower recordings revealing CCSD officials labeled disruptive misconduct by a Black student “culturally appropriate,” blamed staff concerns on the “whiteness of the school,” and used racial framing to override student discipline.

@CCSDK12 /4 In one recording, staff describe being told that conduct they would normally classify as “disrespectful,” “disruptive,” or “defiant” was instead “culturally appropriate” — and that the problem was educators’ “whiteness” for viewing it “in a punitive way.” 

@CCSDK12 /5 Staff say district-level “equity” interventions repeatedly stepped in to override consequences using this racial framework — leaving them with “no ability to enforce anything.” 

@CCSDK12 /6 AFL’s complaint details an incident involving CCSD students with materially identical conduct yet vastly unequal treatment.

An Asian student was suspended for sharing a video violating school policy.

Two Black students who engaged in the same conduct received NO DISCIPLINE.

@CCSDK12 /7 When concerns about the unequal treatment were raised, a senior administrator instructed staff not to discuss discipline decisions electronically — warning that “this is going to get ugly” if exposed publicly. 

@CCSDK12 /8 CCSD’s discrimination doesn’t stop with students.

A respected, high-performing dean was fired after expressing patriotic views and disagreeing with claims made in an “equity training session.”

The district called it a “budget cut,” yet he was the only employee laid off. 

@CCSDK12 /9 Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin by any educational institution receiving federal funds.

CCSD receives federal taxpayer dollars and is subject to federal investigative and enforcement authority. 

@CCSDK12 /10 AFL is urging the Department of Justice and the Department of Education to immediately open a directed investigation and require corrective actions to END unlawful discrimination. 

@CCSDK12 /11 Are you an educator or parent dealing with similar race-based policies in your school district?

Contact us at: tips@aflegal.org 

@CCSDK12 /12 Read the full complaint here: