Not Enough: Hawkins County Public Schools rebuked by Justice Department for discrimination and harassment violations

Authorities in Hawkins County Public Schools did not take aggressive action to protect the Constitutional rights of their black students, according to a US Department of Justice report announcing a lawsuit settlement.
That agreement requires Hawkins County education leaders to create a new compliance officer position that will investigate race discrimination and harassment involving students. That position will be filled before the 2024-2025 school year, according to the DOJ report.

Intensive training will be given to faculty and easier access will be made available to make complaints or concerns online. In the statement, federal officials said Hawkins County Schools should be in compliance with all settlement requirements by 2027.

DOJ investigators learned of several violations at a Hawkins County middle school from 2021 to 2023, including students using Nazi and KKK symbols, subjecting black classmates to slave auctions and a Monkey of the Month club, and select education leaders telling their teachers to limit harassment reporting.

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