WORCESTER – Families and community groups in Worcester are part of a lawsuit against the state alleging segregation in Massachusetts public schools.
The lawsuit, filed in Suffolk County Superior Court, alleges that the state’s public school system violates the state Constitution’s guarantee of an adequate education for all students, and to equal protection, and that by segregating Black and Latino students, the system violates both guarantees.
The plaintiffs include families in several Massachusetts cities, including Worcester, and nonprofit community groups, including Worcester Interfaith and the YWCA of Central Massachusetts. The plaintiffs are represented by attorneys from Lawyers for Civil Rights, Brown’s Promise and WilmerHale.
“Segregation in Massachusetts schools is the predictable result of policies the state has enacted and maintained for years,” Jillian Lenson, a senior attorney at Lawyers for Civil Rights, stated. “Our Constitution promises every child an equal and adequate education. That promise cannot coexist with a system that isolates Black and Latino students in under-resourced districts.”
The suit alleges that that the state’s education system, through local districting practices, forces Black and Brown students into a handful of schools, and that by “poor-packing” these schools with lower-income students prevents students in those groups from accessing better educational opportunities.
In 2024, a study produced by the state education department’s Racial Imbalance Advisory Council noted that 63% of schools in Massachusetts are considered “segregated” or “intensely segregated,” the latter meaning that students who are not White make up at least 90% of the student population.
“Massachusetts has long held itself out as a leader in public education, but for far too long Black and Latino students across the Commonwealth have not been afforded equal access to high quality schools.” GeDá Jones Herbert, chief legal counsel at Brown’s Promise, a national nonprofit that supports integrated and equitable schools, stated. “The state has a constitutional duty to provide an adequate and equal education to every child in its care. Our clients’ paramount concern is to dismantle the current two-tiered, segregated system, to ensure that all children can learn and thrive together in well-resourced schools.”
In Worcester, 64% of all students identify as students of color, with Hispanic students accounting for nearly 46%. At the high school level, the school with the lowest percentage of minority students is Doherty High, where 68% of students identify as students of color. North High has the highest percentage of minority students, with 85% of students identifying as students of color.
“YWCA Central Massachusetts stands with students, families, and partners across the Commonwealth to demand equitable, inclusive public education for every child,” Deborah Hall, CEO of YWCA Central Massachusetts stated. “As an organization committed to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all, we believe every student deserves access to high-quality education, opportunities, resources, and support to achieve their potential. This lawsuit seeks accountability and strives to create transformative change, ensuring all students are valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.”
Defendants in the suit include the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, education commissioner Pedro Martinez, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and other state entities and officials.
In response to the suit, DESE stated that it is committed to providing equal access to all learners.
“The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education believes that all students, no matter their income level, race/ethnicity, language, or disability, deserve schools where they are known, valued, and have the support they need to succeed,” the agency said. “Massachusetts leads the nation in student achievement, and we are committed to building on this progress to strengthen our education system for every student in our state.”
DESE does not possess the ability to directly change school district boundaries, as that is a decision controlled by the local districts. DESE also cannot change the state’s school funding formula, as that decision is controlled by the state Legislature.
In addition to Worcester, plaintiffs in the case include families from Boston, Brockton, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lynn and Springfield.
The plaintiffs argue that the state can address concerns of segregation by creating more vocational schools that serve students across district lines, dramatically increasing the number of magnet school programs that attract students from across districts, and providing free transportation to students who opt to attend different schools out of district.
