Socialist group alleges Pittsburgh public school closures violate civil rights

A socialist advocacy group has filed a civil rights complaint against Pittsburgh Public Schools for closing an “African-Centered” school.

The complaint against PPS was filed on July 14 with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

It alleges the planned school closures, which are due to falling enrollment, will disproportionately affect black students.

The complaint is led by the Advancement Project, a D.C.-based group focused on racial justice, as well as 412 Justice, a Pittsburgh-based group promoting “economic, environmental, and education justice” through the “redistribution of wealth, power, and resources.” 

Several Black PPS families are also represented in the complaint.

The conflict traces as far back as 2024 when consultants recommended the closure and consolidation of 14 Pittsburgh public schools to improve the district’s financial and resource management.

Although the district’s buildings were designed to serve as many as 40,000 students, only 18,000 are currently enrolled.

The Pittsburgh school board voted 6-2 in May to close nine schools, starting in June 2027.

“Tonight’s vote allows us to move forward with implementation of a plan designed to reinvest in students through improved learning environments, expanded programming, academic supports, and stronger opportunities for student success,” said PPS Superintendent Wayne Walters.

Board Member Eva Diodati noted because resources are currently spread thin, some students don’t have access to “art and music, or their principal is not there, or they do not have leadership in all positions.”

However, the civil rights complaint is seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the closures from moving forward.

The plaintiffs say the schools on the chopping block serve more black students than the average PPS school (62% vs. 49%).

One school in particular, the Miller African-Centered Academy, is being supported by parents who say there may not be another such school if Miller closes.

“There are no other plans that we’ve been told from the district of creating another African-centered academy in Pittsburgh,” said Naomi Chambers, whose child attends Miller.

From the district’s perspective, closing and consolidating schools such as Miller – which is only utilizing 43% of its space – makes fiscal sense.

PPS leadership has said its goal is for each building to be operating at 75-85% capacity.

But the complaint says school enrollment is only dwindling because of the district’s neglect.

“If you starve certain schools of resources, and those schools are black schools, then enrollment is going to decline as families seek other opportunities,” said Adaku Onyeka-Crawford, the Advancement Project attorney representing the plaintiffs. 

“And then you have the underutilization that is then used to close more schools. And it is just this vicious cycle.”

PPS has steadily lost enrollment over two decades.

In 2006, the district had more than 32,000 students. In 2016, that fell to 23,000. Now, with just 18,000, closures and consolidations seem inevitable.

And the problem isn’t unique to Pittsburgh.

Many of America’s largest public school districts are in the process of rightsizing, with enrollment falling because of declining birth rates, migration or the rapidly increasing popularity of school choice.