From the Delmarva Parent Teacher Coalition
Back in April of 2025, the Delmarva Parent Teacher Coalition reported that all school districts were required to sign a federal mandate to certify an end to discrimination under Title VI in order to continue receiving federal school funding. The majority of Maryland counties did not file the federal form, but instead signed a bogus certification created by the Maryland State Department of Education as a political circumvention tactic for districts to hide behind the state. That scheme has now backfired, and county districts are now losing federal funding except for Somerset.
Related Articles:
Somerset County is First District to Sign Federal Title VI Certification to End Discrimination
Somerset County: First County in MD to Comply with Federal Laws to End DEI Policies
As a result of non-compliance with the federal Title VI certification, Dorchester County Public Schools has been flagged by the federal government and is now losing funding as reported here.
Other counties are not off the hook, including Wicomico and Worcester who are also on the fed’s radar for not complying with the federal certification as well as multiple filed reports of Title VI and IX violations throughout their district.
As for Somerset, the Board was smart and proactively complied. As a result, they have a fully-funded budget for the 2025-2026 school year that Somerset would not have if the Board did not act.
This all happened contrary to the obstructive efforts of Somerset County’s Superintendent and her refusal to sign the federal version to secure federal funding and protect the integrity of existing Federal Civil Rights law. Instead, she signed the state version to defy both the Somerset County Board of Education and the Federal Government.
The Somerset County Board of Education signed the federal certification letter (without the Superintendent’s signature) affirming the very commitment that majority members of the Board promised to their constituents: to end discrimination in Somerset County Public Schools. This includes no boys in girls bathrooms, locker rooms, or sports. This also includes hiring practices based on competence and not skin color, gender identity, or religious beliefs.
Fellows & Editors
July 10, 2025. DelmarvaPTC.org.
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