Students at Vistancia Elementary School experienced a “school-wide hostile environment” of racial harassment, according to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
The DOE investigation determined Peoria Unified School District failed to address harassment of students on the basis of race, color and national origin, in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
According to the federal investigation that has taken place in the past year, school officials were aware of harassment coming from both peer students and teachers. The issue was so wide spread that parents voiced a need for change on district surveys; and students and staff members told investigators the racial harassment was a normal part of attending the school.
