Family Files Complaint Alleging Racial Discrimination and Harassment in School District 34
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 5, 2026
CONTACT:
Zindy Marquez
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
zmarquez@clccrul.org
Family Files Complaint Alleging Racial Discrimination and Harassment in School District 34
Three students have endured ongoing racial discrimination for more than seven years – this is believed to be one of the first cases filed under Illinois' Racism Free Schools Law
ANTIOCH, IL – Tiffany and Brian Durlak have filed a formal complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights on behalf of their three children, who are students in the Antioch Community Consolidated School District 34 (District 34), for significant racial harassment and discrimination they have endured over seven years from other students and school staff. Despite repeated efforts from the Durlak family to seek accountability for the treatment their Black children were experiencing in a predominantly white school, District 34 has failed to appropriately respond to or address the ongoing harassment and create a safe and welcoming environment for Black students and their families within District 34.
The Durlak family is represented by Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and the complaint alleges violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act and is also believed to be one of the first cases to be filed under the Racism Free Schools Law.
Given that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) – which gave families an avenue to file formal complaints for discrimination based on protected classes such as race – has been gutted by the federal administration, it is even more important for states to step up to enforce state-level protections.
The three children from the Durlak family faced severe racial harassment and discrimination including physical assaults from white students, verbal racial slurs used against them by other students, and discriminatory treatment by school staff. In all instances, District 34 did not make reasonable efforts to stop severe and pervasive racial discrimination and racial harassment of the three children that has led to significant harm for the students. The complaint also lifts up the experiences of other Black students who were targeted due to their race and were left to handle the matter on their own.
This inaction created a culture where staff ignored the widespread use of racial slurs, stereotypes, taunts, name-calling, and offensive or derogatory remarks and white and non-Black students felt free and unconstrained to racially harass Black students. In some cases, White administrators even failed to acknowledge that the racial slurs being used were in fact racial slurs. Black students and their families were left feeling helpless and without recourse as their reports of racial harassment were consistently dismissed or ignored.
“Unfortunately, these are not isolated incidents that only impacted the Durlak family. Other Black families and Black students in District 34 have reported experiences of racial harassment, bullying, and different treatment with little accountability from the district,” said Adanna Love, program counsel on the education equity team with Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. “The District’s deliberate and willful indifference to pervasive racial harassment of Black students and different treatment by District staff has created a culture that is unwelcoming to Black students and harmful to their well-being and academic career. It is critical that District 34 is held accountable to ensure they are enforcing existing protections under state law, making families and staff aware of these protections and policies, and ensuring safe environments for students of color.”
“This complaint is bigger than our three children. It raises what we believe are systemic issues in how minority children and families are treated within District 34. This isn’t just about what happened to our kids anymore,” said Mrs. Durlak. “It’s about making sure the next minority child who speaks up is heard, the next parent who raises concerns isn’t made to feel like they’re the problem, and another family doesn’t have to fight this hard just to get what every child should already have, a safe school experience where they are treated with dignity and respect.”
Illinois effectuated the Racism Free Schools Law in 2024, requiring all school districts to adopt clear anti-harassment policies, track discrimination complaints, and complete staff training aimed at preventing discrimination and harassment based on race. It also amended the Illinois Human Rights Act making the failure of schools to stop harassment or discrimination by a student a civil rights violation.
With this complaint, the Durlak family seeks to hold District 34 accountable to ensure they are effectively applying and educating their students, parents, and staff about these existing policies and protections to prevent further harm for their students and other families.
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Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights
Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights is a nonpartisan, nonprofit group of civil rights lawyers and advocates working to secure racial equity and economic opportunity for all. We provide legal representation through partnerships with the private bar, and we collaborate with grassroots organizations and other advocacy groups to implement community-based solutions that advance civil rights. For more information, visit www.clccrul.org.