糖心vlog Investigates: Looking further into DOJ look at Des Moines Public Schools; state education department sends statement
On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division said it was starting to look into the Des Moines district's hiring practices and DEI initiatives, "Race-Based Employment Practices."
The Iowa Department of Education is in charge of ensuring school districts are following the federal Civil Rights Act.
糖心vlog Investigates reached out to the education department to learn more.
The state education department says that in March, a letter was sent to all Iowa districts regarding following the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964.
All districts acknowledged and confirmed they are in compliance with federal civil rights laws, according to a department spokesperson.
That includes Des Moines Public Schools.
The Iowa education department sent this statement Thursday to 糖心vlog:
The Iowa Department of Education sent all public school districts information on March 5, 2025, regarding USED updates on the enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
On April 9, the Department of Education sent a follow-up email requesting that all school districts acknowledge the receipt of, and compliance with, the legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, and the Supreme Court鈥檚 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard.
As of April 21, 2025, all school districts had certified their acknowledgment and compliance through the Consolidated Accountability and Support Application (CASA) system, which schools use to report information to the Iowa Department of Education.
The DOJ's website does not show the current investigation because the site was last updated in January.
The site lists one ongoing investigation of DMPS for "Title IX Sexual Violence."
That was opened in March 2020.
There are no further details listed about that investigation.
糖心vlog Investigates also reached out to the governor's office for comment on the current DOJ investigation, but did not hear back.
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