California group files federal civil rights complaint over San Diego school district's 'racist' teachings

A collection of California nonprofits filed a civil rights complaint last week alleging discrimination against San Diego’s largest public school district over its embrace of the controversial "critical race theory."

The Californians for Equal Rights Foundation, one of six organizations involved in the filing, announced the move on its website.

The complainants allege that the San Diego Unified School District is involved in "unlawful racial discrimination in the teacher and staff training process."

SAN DIEGO SCHOOL TEACHERS OFFERED 'WHITE PRIVILEGE TRAINING' WHERE PARTICIPANTS COMMIT TO BEING 'ANTIRACIST'

"[The district] blatantly propagates racist ideas and theories, subjugating its teachers to disparate treatment based on race," Frank Xu, the president of CFER, said in a statement.  "Such racially motivated political indoctrination stokes racial tensions and will ultimately weaken our national competitiveness. We are genuinely concerned about the future of this great nation if it continues on this path of racial divisions."

Lori Meyers, co-founder of another group involved in the complaint called Educators for Quality and Equality, added that critical race theory "exacerbates division and racial discrimination and demeans teachers based on skin color."

An SDUSD spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment on the complaint.

California’s Board of Education is expanding ethnic studies in the Golden State and approved a model curriculum in March "to assist local high schools" in designing their own programs.

But ethnic studies involving "critical race theory" have drawn particular reproach, with critics arguing that left-wing programs consist of anti-American propaganda and divisive rhetoric – which they claim increases racism by focusing on stereotypes, lauding perceived victimhood and, on occasion, encouraging segregation.

Fox News reported in December that San Diego teachers had been offered "white privilege training" where participants were being asked to commit to becoming "antiracist."

In the training, teachers vow to "confront and examine [their] white privilege," "acknowledge when [they] feel white fragility," and "teach others to see their privilege," according to leaked documents obtained by journalist and documentarian Christopher Rufo.

The teachers undergoing the training must acknowledge that they are living on land – i.e., the United States – that was stolen from Native Americans. 

The program was based on "The Racial Healing Handbook" and also included clips of Robin DiAngelo, author of the controversial "White Fragility" book.

After that, the teachers are told they are racist and "upholding racist ideas, structures, and policies" and must commit to becoming "antiracist" in the classroom."

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Fox News’ Bradford Betz contributed to this report.