DOVER, Del. (AP) - Attorneys for the Indian River School District say a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by a Sussex County citizens group should be dismissed.
The Coalition for Education Reform claims that the district is using the George Washington Carver Academy, a special education school, as a "punitive dumping ground" for African-American students branded as "troublemakers."
The group says black students are being removed from mainstream schools and sent to Carver in disproportionate numbers on flimsy pretexts and for arbitrary periods of time, while their educational needs are neglected.
The district filed its answer Monday, denying several of the group's claims. The district also cited several defenses, saying some of the claims are barred, and that there was no constitutionally protected conduct that was a substantial or motivating factor in its decisions.
