Legal Question in Discrimination Law in Alabama

Reverse Discrimination in Schools

Currently my 13 year old step-son (white) is enrolled in a predominatly black school system. Although we have had numerous problems within the school system, the 'straw broke the camel's back' yesterday when the administrators forced him to remove the shoe strings from his shoes due to the fact that they were white with a blue stripe. I personally have witnessed other children at the school with the exact same style shoes (different in color only - black and white) yet they were not required to remove their shoe strings. Would this classify as reverse discrimination?


Asked on 8/14/02, 10:53 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael McNair M. S. McNair, Attorney-at-Law, P.C.

Re: Reverse Discrimination in Schools

The first question would be whether or not the shoestrings violated the school dress code. If not, then to have a valid discrimination claim, you would have to show that he took the action because of the race of your son, and not because of some other reason. If the shoestrings are in violation of the dress code, then you would have to show that he does not enforce the dress code against other races, only against white students, and that the enforcement of the dress code against your son was just an excuse to discriminate against him because of his race. If you can obtain evidence ot this then you MIGHT have a claim. You would then need to discuss this in person with an attorney.

Read more
Answered on 8/15/02, 11:48 am


Related Questions & Answers

More Other Discrimination Law (Age, Race, Sex, Gender) questions and answers in Alabama