Richmond, Va. (Newsradiowrva.com) - UPDATE: Fairfax issued this statement in response to the Attorney General's allegations: "Media coverage referencing a ban on certain demographic groups applying to the College Partnership Program is wholly inaccurate. In fact, in School Year 2022-23, 352 Asian students (17.4%) and 176 white students (8.7%) out of a total of 2,018 students were enrolled in the program which is designed to encourage historically underrepresented groups to consider a path to college.
We are disappointed that no one from the Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia contacted Fairfax County Public Schools to check on the authenticity of these reports. Instead, false and damaging public accusations against Cooper Middle School have been made.
Publishing false narratives like this undermines public school efforts to boost U.S. educational achievement."
ORIGINAL: Attorney General Jason Miyares is accusing a Fairfax County middle school of discrimination. The Republican AG has sent a letter to Cooper Middle School, alleging the discrimination occurred in an email over a college partnership program.
The alleged email to parents asked if they had an eight grader interested in college AND was a member of a number of groups. Some of the groups mentioned were racial groups, but others included economically disadvantaged or disabled. Miyares says because not all racial groups were mentioned, the email runs afoul of the Virginia Human Rights Act.
Miyares is asking the letter be retracted and for evidence the program is not discriminatory. Fairfax County Schools did not reply to a request for comment. This is not Miyares' first run-in with Fairfax Schools; in Janaury he announced an investigation into alleged merit award delays.
