A federal civil rights lawsuit filed by the 1776 Project Foundation alleges that Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) employs racially discriminatory policies that systematically disadvantage white and Middle Eastern students.
The complaint, submitted to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, targets LAUSD’s use of race-based classifications to label schools as “PHBAO” — Predominantly Hispanic, Black, Asian, and Other non-Anglo — and allocate educational resources accordingly. The suit asserts that fewer than 100 schools in the district lack this designation, resulting in unequal access to opportunities for students at these institutions, including white and Middle Eastern learners.
Aiden Buzzetti, President of the 1776 Project Foundation, stated: “What began as a temporary measure to address segregation has become a rigid system of racial favoritism that excludes thousands of students from equal opportunity.”
The lawsuit claims that white students, despite outperforming black and Hispanic peers academically, face disproportionate barriers under the district’s policies.