Wisconsin School District Faces Federal Civil Rights Complaint Over Hiring Practices
- January 18, 2026
Dave Bondy, Keeping it Real Newsletter
A Wisconsin school district is facing a federal civil rights complaint over allegations it used race based criteria in hiring decisions instead of focusing solely on qualifications.
Michael Chamberlain, president of Protect the Public’s Trust, said his organization filed the complaint after reviewing the strategic plan of the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District. The plan includes a stated goal of increasing staff diversity from 10 percent to 25 percent over several years.
Chamberlain said the organization is requesting a federal investigation into possible violations of the Civil Rights Act, specifically Title VI and Title VII, which prohibit discrimination based on race in education and employment by entities that receive federal funding.
“They spell it out right in their strategic plan,” Chamberlain said. “Those kinds of numeric goals based on race are something courts have frowned upon for a long time.”
According to Chamberlain, the complaint was filed with the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Health and Human Services. All three agencies have offices tasked with enforcing federal civil rights laws.